Scattered Flowers
by spike1970
Summary: Based on the hentai Doujinshi Souka Santan by group Valssu and artist Charu. Set three years before the game, The Aiheap twins are forced to give their bodies to a corrupt royal guard commander in exchange for the safety of the refugees of Schizontonia. Rated M for rape, drug use, strong language and violence.
1. A Pair Of Flowers Scattered

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Vesperia, Nor any of it's characters, they are the property of Namco-Bandai. _**

**_I do not own Souka Santan, That's the property of Doujinshi group, Valssu and artist, Charu. And they can keep it. _**

**_This story takes place about three years after 'The Price Of A Victor' and three months after 'The First Strike' and three and a half years before the game._**

* * *

**_TALES OF VESPERIA: SCATTERED FLOWERS_**

**_part. 1 A Pair of Flowers Scattered_**

* * *

**_(Royal Guard HQ)_**

**_ (Standard point of view)_**

The Niren Corps was disbanded to begin with. Not surprising when you consider that its commander, Niren Fedrock died three months ago in a collapsing castle north of the town of Shizontonia. Most of the residents of Shizontonia had to evacuate their town because the castle that collapsed had an experimental blastia inside of it. And when it blew up, causing said castle to collapse, it sent out an aer wave that that shorted out their town's barrier-blastia. Since then they have been staying at a refugee camp just inside of Zaphias's barrier, waiting for that would happen next. Most of the remaining members of the former Niren Corps were also stationed at the refugee camp as well, with the exception of three individuals.

One is a teenaged ex-knight, who chose to quit rather than face trial for striking a superior officer from the Royal Guard. Currently, he's working as a delivery-boy for a tavern in the Lower Quarter of the imperial capital, Zaphias. The other two knights, red-headed twin ladies in their early twenties are also in Zaphias, called down from Deidon Hold a week earlier. They've been ordered to see the commanding officer of the Royal Guard, Gradana Stafford at a building in the Public Quarter. Wonder what he wants...

"Did you call for us, major Gradana, commander of the Royal Guard?" Chastel Aiheap said. "...Even though we're so busy..." She said to her sister Hisca Aiheap in a voice loud enough for her to hear.

"...Yeah, I don't like him either..." Hisca replied to her sister. "He's always putting on heirs..." Putting on heirs just because he's the son of some hotshot earl. Not to mention he's been in a bit of a snit since he was mentally shot down by a recently turned fifteen year old daughter of a marquess at a ball a few months ago. Then there are the rumors that sometimes a female knight that's assigned to the Royal Guard tend to get dishonorably discharged and made into his servants, the most recent one, a bespectacled female knight fresh out of the academy almost ten months ago.

"Yes I did. Good work in coming here." Gradana replied, smiling at the twins. Standing behind him was a Knight with a black buzz-cut and an almost reptilian face named Louis, A knight with blonde hair named Reginald, a knight with a black crew-cut named Derick, and last, but not least, a knight with short brown hair named Hatchette. "It has just been decided where the citizens of Shizontonia will be moved to, sooo I thought maybe you two would like to know."

"Where are they going?" Chastel asked.

With an evil grin, Gradana answered. "Capua Nor." Chastel was shocked at this answer, Hisca wonders why.

"Hold on Chastel, Is there something wrong with Capua nor?" Hisca asked.

"You didn't know?" Gradana asked.

Chastel answered. "The Imperial Council's powers are very strong there."

"Quite correct, Chastel Aiheap." Gradana interjected. "The magistrate there does whatever he wants, like heavily taxing his people and forcing them to do heavy labor until they die, heh heh heh. It sounds like a real shithole doesn't it, heh heh heh. And that's where they'll moving those poor people to."

"Is...there some other way to pick another town for them." Chastel asked. Surely there are way better places for them to go, like Halure or Aspio, Ore even stretch a point and have them settle in Zaphias, anywhere but Capua Nor and the oppressive thumb of magistrate Ragou Stufato.

'Hmm...?" Gradana asked.

Chastel replied. "Captain Niren...died defending those people. So for then to end up in a place like that..."

"Well, if I say something to commandant Alexei, then maybee..." Gradana smiled.

"Then...please...!" Chastel begged.

Gradana looked at the twins. "Welll, that depends on what you two do next."

"...What we do...?" Chastel asked.

"...What do you mean by that...?" Hisca also asked.

"You gonna make me say it? Fine, I'll make it real clear." Gradana said in an agitated tone. "Take off all your clothes!" He barked. The twins are jolted by this.

"So...that what you meant..." Chastel said.

"No? Then I guess that all those folks from Shizontonia will have no choice but to go to that dump." Gradana sneered. "Too bad, so sad. I wonder how many people will die there? And such a shame too, since captain Niren saved them. If you two just do as I say, then his efforts wouldn't be made meaningless." Chastel gives it some thought.

"Hey...Chastel..." Hisca looks at her sister's deep expression.

"Fine..." Chastel starts to unbuckle her belt. "In exchange...make sure you change the town they go to..." Hisca is surprised that her sister is agreeing to this perverted order.

"It's good that the older sister gets it." Gradana says to Hisca. "What about you? Are you more important than the people of Shizontonia?"

After some hesitation, Hisca starts to undress. "...I just gotta take them off, right..."

"Yeah, and take off your undies too." Gradana replied. Hisca was silent with shock. "Oh wait, keep your boots on and keep your panties around your knees. That's how I like it."

"...Scum..." Chastel covers her naked breasts.

"Hey! Don't hide them!" Gradana ordered. "Once you're done changing, keep your hands behind you."

"...Grr..." Hisca protested.

"Hihihi! What a view." Gradana said about the appearance of the now naked twins, standing before him and his friends, arms behind their backs wearing naught but their boots and their panties...pulled down to their knees. "You two got the same face, but difference boob size and pube density." He comments on Chastel's breast size and...carpet. "So is this the difference between experience? Hm?" The twins don't answer, they just blush from embarrassment...

...Gradana and his cronies would drug the twins and have their way with them…

* * *

**_(A few days later...)_**

Gradana returns from his meeting with commandant Alexei. He calls for the twins to see him at his office. As soon as they arrive, he sits down, pours himself a class of chianti as the still drugged, and now subservient twins, begin to caress him him, because he told them to. "You two better be grateful." He said as the twins fondled. "Thanks to me the people from Shizontonia will now be moved to Heliord instead. Oh yeah, both of you will also be reassigned to my corps(as my personal slaves of course)."

The twins continue to lick Gradana, not caring about what he said, not caring that they're now slaves. Only caring about feeling good as possible. "Nng Hah...Nng... Mm..." Was all they said, their once shiny and vibrant hazel eyes now completely dull.

Gradana continued to gloat. "You're not nobles but you still got promoted to bodyguards. So this is a pretty big promotion. Good for you. Continue to serve me well, guhihihi..." Gradana is pleased with his new...'catches'. As far as he's concerned, they'll serve his desires quite well... Just like that bespectacled knight he sent down to the Red Light District along with two Yurzorean teenagers loaned to him from an associate of his to serve their desires... and bring him money... Which he probably have the twins do once he gets bored with them.

* * *

**_(End part 1) _**

**_Author's Notes:_**

**_This chapter is an adaptation of the hentai doujinshi, Souka Santan by Valssu. _**

**_I'm planning on resolving this doujinshi, and some of his other ToV doujinshis over the next few months give or take. _**

**_The doujinshi I used as my source material largely features characters that appeared in ToV; The First Strike. _**

**_I'm using the name Gradana instead of Granda because that's the name that appeared in the closing credits of the English dub of the movie. And that guy's every bit of a jerk in the movie as he is in the doujinshi. _**

**_Gradana's cronies originally didn't have names, so I gave them some, heck, I even made one of them Hatchette. _**

**_Now I can imagine what some of you are gonna say; Why is Hatchette in the Royal Guard instead of the Schwann Brigade? _****_Trust me, It'll be explained in later chapters and he will get a heel-face turn. _**


	2. The New Brigade Captain

_**Part 2. The New Brigade Captain, Flynn's First Meeting**_

* * *

_**(The castle, Alexei's office)**_

_**(standard point of view)**_

_**Note: this scene happens before the final scene in part 1**_

"I must admit, this is a rather curious request, Gradana." Alexei Dinoia, supreme commandant of the Imperial knights said as he examined the transfer request papers for the Aiheap twins. "First you ask me to arrange for the refugees to go to Heliord instead of Capua nor, which I was able to do, never did like Capua Nor ever since Ragou ran it into the ground with his stupid taxes." He lets out an exasperated sigh. "And now you want me to approve the transfer of two non-nobles into the Royal Guard?"

"Yes, my lord." Gradana replied. "I wanted to see if non-noble female knights are as good as our usual female noble knights. Of course this if just as an experiment intended to last for three months before I transfer them somewhere else." "._..Like maybe a nice sleazy whorehouse in the Lower Quarter, guhihihi..._" Gradana thought.

Alexei looks over the papers for a couple more minutes, before giving his answer. "Well as you know, Gradana, only nobles may apply for a permanent position in the Royal Guard. And, seeing as the twins are only going to be temporarily assigned there, their transfer request...is approved." He rubber-stamped the request document.

"Thank you sir." Gradana bowed. "_At last the twins are mine mine mine mine MINE! Guhihihihi!_"

"Well you seem rather pleased, Gradana." Alexei commented. "Anyway, next order of business..." He looks at his aide Khroma. "Tell lieutenant Jurgis that I'll see him now."

"As you wish, my lord." The Krytian lady bowed and went outside... A moment later she comes back in, followed by a knight with light brown hair and wearing green colored standard armor.

"Did you call for me, commandant Alexei?" Lieutenant Jurgis Vytautas, former second in command of the Niren Corps addresses the commandant on bended knee.

"Yes I did, lieutenant." Alexei answered, shuffling some of the papers on his desk. "Good work in getting here." he looks at the kneeling knight in his green on green standard armor. Armor that he has been wearing since he was assigned to the refugee camp a few months ago. "Tell me, what have you heard about the refugees from Shizontonia?"

Jurgis continues to kneel. "Well, I've heard rumors that they're to be moved to Capua Nor."

"Quite correct, lieutenant." Alexei replied. "But now, thanks to Gradana here, they'll be going to Heliord instead."

"Heliord, commandant?" Jurgis asked.

"That's right, Heliord lieutenant." Gradana answered instead. "The Aiheap twins asked me to ask commandant Alexei here to have them moved to Heliord a few days ago."

"And I convinced the Council to relocate them to that city." Alexei finished. "Even though it might cause some tension with Don Whitehorse and the Guilds, but it's nothing that can't be smoothed over. And now let's talk about the real reason I summoned you here." Alexei opens up his desk and takes out what looks like a captain's pin. "As you know, we haven't had a blue brigade since the last one was wiped out in the great war seven years ago."

"I see." Jurgis replied. "You want to form a new blue brigade."

"True, I wanted your commander Niren to lead that brigade, but since he's no longer with us, you'll take that honor instead, rise... Captain Jurgis Vytautas." Jurgis stands up and Alexei walks over, take off Jurgis's lieutenant pipits and replaces them with captain's pipits. "Congratulations, You are now the commanding officer of the newly formed..." He pauses to cough. "Jurgis Brigade."

"Thank you, commandant, this is a great honor." Jurgis salutes his commandant, barely keeping himself from smiling.

"Well I do suppose you'll have to get yourself a new set of armor." Gradana commented. "Green just isn't your color."

"I suppose you're right, Gradana." Jurgis replied.

"Also, you'll have to gather a certain number of knights for your new brigade and get them outfitted." Alexei suggested. "I've already compiled a list of available knights for you to recruit." He gives Jurgis the paper.

Jurgis examines the sheet of available knights... good, most of the former Niren corps members are listed, including Flynn, Elvin, David, and so on... Not surprisingly, Yuri isn't on the list, something about his knocking out one of Gradana's teeth(he was able to get it re-attached) after Gradana said some bad things about Niren. But rather curiously enough, the twins are crossed out. "I'm curious, why are the twins crossed out? did they quit?" Jurgis asked.

"Oh, them." Gradana smiled. "I requested that they be temporarily assigned to my unit just before you showed up and their transfer has just been approved."

"Oh, so they're not available then, They're both good officers." Jurgis replied.

"However, everyone else in that list is available, including Flynn, who is no doubt, talking to the princess over at the dining hall, What does she see in him, I don't really know." Gradana commented

"Well I suppose I should go and talk to him then, no better time to start building up my brigade then." Jurgis commented. "Permission to leave, commandant?"

"Granted, captain." Alexei replied. "Good hunting." Jurgis salutes and leaves the office.

"I should tell the twins the good news then, permission to leave, Commandant?" Gradana asked.

"Granted as well, Gradana." Alexei replied. And Gradana leaves the office and heads back over to the barracks, thinking about what he'll have the twins do while he tells them the good news... not that they care anymore...

"Guhihihihi."

* * *

_**(The dining hall) **_

_**(Flynn's point of view)**_

"Oh my! Flynn are you telling me you're really from the Lower Quarter?" Lady Estellise gasped, holding her hands up to her face in surprise after I told her where I came from. "This is a bit hard to believe. You don't look like you're from there. The public Quarter maybe, but the lower Quarter? I'm...surprised."

Lady Estellise may be surprised, but the governess, dame Margaret look like she was gonna flip out. "You're a lowly commoner, Flynn Scifo!?" She makes commoner sound like a dirty word. "If I had known about this in our last two meetings..." First before I graduated from the academy, second, when I was up here trying to get reinforcements for Shizontonia... "...I would kept you away from her highness, you disgusting commoner... Oh my god! I just remembered... You hugged him when you first saw him didn't you, your highness, AAAH! Somebody get a doctor! Lady Estellise touched a commoner! She's probably contracted some hideous commoner disease that's incubating inside of her for months now, waiting to spring out and kill us all in some gruesome fashion!" She pulls lady Estellise away from me. "Stay away from him, lady Estellise! He's diseased!" Jeez, somebody tell dame Margaret to...

"Dame Margaret, GET A GRIP! WILL YOU!?" Lady Estellise shouted. "I seriously doubt I could get sick from just touching a person. Besides, I had a routine checkup last week, remember? There's nothing wrong with me, and yes, I'm still a virgin. Sorry you had to hear all that, Flynn."

"I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, lady Estellise." I said. "I wonder, What were you told about the Lower Quarter?"

"Well I was told that their skin is dark because they spend much their time outdoors, they don't believe in hygiene and they smell like unwashed beasts that like to roll in their own...excrement, eww, and all they think about is having rough naked animalistic sex. Brrrrr..." Lady Estellise answered. "But you don't look and smell like what I've been told, and you're quite polite."

I figured I should explain. "Well, lady Estellise, Most of the folks in the Lower Quarter are fair skinned, we do get the occasional dark-skin, but they're usually immigrants from Desier, where it's hot most of the time. And a lot of us do try to keep clean to keep diseases down, even those who make a living in the stockyards. And we're not all oversexed although there are a few that are, sad to say. All in all, we're just honest folk trying to make an honest living. You might say we're just like you, only not as rich, though we'd like to be. Heh heh heh."

"I... see" Lady Estellise replied. "So basically, you and your...friend, um, what's his name?"

"Yuri Lowell." I answered.

"Right, So basically you and your friend, Yuri are from the Lower Quarter, am I correct?" Lady Estellise asked.

"Yep." I answered.

"I would like to know more about the lower Quarter and your friend but..." We notice some knights and sir Jurgis enter the dining hall and approach us. "Something tells me that's for another day, Flynn."

"I'm afraid so, lady Estellise." I sighed.

"Oh thank the gods you showed up." Dame Margret said to the knights. "I just learned that this...person is a… ' She looked at me and shuddered. "...commoner! From the Lower Quarter no less! He's not to speak to lady Estellise ever again."

"Dame Margaret, I'll decide who I can or cannot speak with!" Lady Estellise said. "I'm not a little girl anymore, so please stop treating me like one! Honestly!"

"Ever since she turned fourteen, she's been like a wild horse." Dame Margaret said, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Where did our good Estellise go?"

"From the look of things, afternoon studies followed by horse-riding lessons." Lady Estellise answered.

"...Where you'll be wearing..." Margaret shuddered. "...trousers, and doing your own saddling and bridling." Dame Margaret said. "And walking around those revolting poo covered stalls and fields, eww. The one place I dare not go lest I soil my fine clothes. If this keeps up your fine white skin will darken and you'll turn into a muscle-bound gorilla."

I doubt that'll happen, besides, lady Estellise could use the exercise.

"If that's what's bothering you, dame Margaret, why not wear clothing more suited to horseback riding, like a shorter skirt and easy to clean boots." lady Estellise replied. "And besides, I actually find handling horse-gear quite invigorating."

"A proper lady never wears short skirts and boots, and do not get me started on the trousers. Nor handle such heavy objects, such as saddles." Dame Margaret retorted.

Talk about old fashioned. I've seen a lot of noble-women wear shorter skirts for every day activities, course they're mostly mid-calf length. "Now please excuse us, we must go, and lady Estellise, we need to talk about this later." The two ladies get up and leave, escorted by the knights. Sir Jurgis sits down across from me.

"Well, Flynn, how'd your date go?" Sir Jurgis asked.

I felt my cheeks redden. "It's not a date, sir Jurgis, we're just talking!" I replied.

"Well, it does look like the rumors about lady Estellise taking an interest in you are true, Flynn. How did you manage it?"

I gave it some thought before I answered. "It all started a week before I graduated..."

* * *

_**(Start flashback, Alexei's office, nearly a year ago, standard point of view)**_

"Commandant Alexei, I present to you our top three students of their class." Instructor and sword-master Drake Dropwart introduces his top three students to the commandant. He first points to a blond student. "Cadet Flynn Scifo of Zaphias." Next a student with brown hair. "Cadet Hatchette Gachot of Capua Nor." and finally a female student with dark-brown hair and glasses. "Cadet Julia DuBois of Zaphias."

"Only three, Drake? Isn't there supposed to be a fourth?" Alexei asked.

"Yes, sir." Drake answered. "Cadet Yuri Lowell of Zaphias, but he can't be here right now. He's doing KP for being out after curfew and getting into a brawl with some local yobs outside some tavern called the Comet."

Flynn just rolled his eyes. "_...How could Yuri just screw up like that? I almost think he didn't want to see commandant Alexei..._" he thought.

Alexei chuckled. "My, I didn't know one of your best students was such a trouble making hooligan."

"True and Hatchette's almost as bad." Drake commented. True, even though he's a noble(Although his family are nobles, they run a couple of inns in Nor Harbor and Torim Harbor. Not all nobles are upper-class twits), Hatchette's a bit of a party animal, and a goof-ball, and is almost involved in the same sort of mischief as Yuri, like sneaking into the academy's dining hall for extra snacks, or sneak into the warehouse to swap training bodhi-blastias. He'd probably score higher if he didn't skip some of his training(currently Hatchette's in third place ahead of Yuri, but behind Flynn and Julia).

"Hardly the proper behavior of a noble, cadet Hatchette." Alexei said.

"Permission to speak freely, commandant." Hatchette requested.

"Granted." Alexei replied. "And that goes for the rest of you."

"Well it only because my family earned the title of noble some twelve years ago back when the emperor was alive, so we're basically first generation nobles, not quite as rich and...um...snooty as some of the older families in the twin harbors like the Staffords, Stufatos, or the DeGaulles."

"Heh heh heh... Just don't let Gradana hear you say that, cadet Hatchette. He happens to be a Stafford, and he may be your commanding officer despite your less-than stellar scores." Alexei replied and Hatchette nodded in acknowledgment. He the turns to Flynn Scifo. "So this the son of Finath Scifo, You're certainly a chip of the old block, Cadet Flynn."

"All due respect, Commandant, I'd rather not talk about my father after what he put me and my mother through." Flynn answered.

"I understand, what with him dying on you and all. The Imperial knights are quite lesser with his loss." Alexei replied. "I do hope you'll fill his sabatons one day." Alexei then turns to Julia. "It's not every day that we have a victor of the hunger games. I guess that the odds were ever in your favor."

"Um...Yes, commandant. Though I'll admit, I'm not too proud of it." How can she be? Just over two short years ago, she was sent down to Nordopolica to 'participate' in her fourth reaping. When Clara Dior was reaped, she immediately volunteered to take her place alongside the male tribute. She knew that her martial arts and knife-fighting skills would give her the best chance of surviving, she was practically groomed for this, a 'career tribute' if you will. To make a long story short, she won, she came home, at the time that was all that mattered _**(Read 'The Price Of A Victor' for details, Author)**_. Still, children shouldn't be made to kill one another for some sick entertainment. Maybe someday this will all end...Someday...

"Something on your mind, cadet Julia?" Alexei asked, snapping Julia out of her reminiscing. "You were staring off into space there."

"Oh, my apologies, commandant." Julia apologized. "I was just remembering those unpleasant days."

"Anyway, as a reward for your high scores, I'll inform you early of your assignments upon graduation, next week." Alexei said to the three cadets. "Flynn Scifo, you will be assigned to the command of captain Niren Fedrock, commander of the garrison in Shizontonia. The same goes for Yuri Lowell, So you will let him know...once he's done peeling potatoes."

"Yes, commandant!" Flynn saluted.

"Hatchette Gachot, Julia DuBois, due to your status as nobles and your high scores, you two will be automatically assigned into the Royal Guard, under the command of captain Gradana Stafford of the Royal Guard. I trust you two will bring honor to the Guard."

"We will, Commandant!" Hatchette and Julia saluted.

"That will be all. Dismissed." Alexei dismissed the cadets and their instructor.

"Congratulations on your assignments, you three." Drake smiled as he and the cadets walk down the hallway.

"I suppose so." Hatchette said. "It's too bad we can't be all assigned to the same brigade."

"Yeah, Hatchette." Flynn replied. "But You and Julia are nobles, and me and Yuri are just a couple of Lower Quarter punks."

"Yeah, but boy can we four party!" Hatchette said.

"And I'm always getting dragged into your craziness, and having to bail you three out. Good grief." Julia sighed. "But I'll admit, it was a barrel of laughs driving most of our instructors crazy. Heh heh heh."

"True, Julia, I never thought you of all people would actually be friends with the likes of us." Flynn said.

"Me neither, Flynn, well not at first anyway." Julia replied, remembering how cold and snobbish she acted towards those three knuckleheads. "But eventually, you three managed to rub off of me. Maybe someday we'll meet up again and see what kind of silliness we can get ourselves in...and out of." In the end she, in her own hoidy-toidy way, can be a knucklehead too. Always one in every group, trying to keep the rest of their feet on the ground.

"Looking forward to it." Flynn said just as they went around the corner... And he bumps into someone. "Oh excuse me..." He apologies to this rather slender pink haired boy wearing a red tailcoat, white trousers and black riding boots. "I didn't mean to bump into you like that."

The pink haired boy looks at Flynn with his green eyes for several seconds before he... "KYAAAH! OH MY GOD! YOU'RE SO CUTE!" Squeed in a high, girly voice and hugged Flynn with all his might.

"ACK! Hey not so tight! Let go!" Flynn yelped in surprise "Just my luck!"

"Can I keep him, master Drake? Pleeeaaassseee can I keep him?" The pink haired boy asked.

"I'm afraid not, lady Estellise." Drake answered. Wait a minute... did drake just address this pink haired kid...lady? This girlish boy's really a...girl!?

"Awwwww!" Estellise protested as she let go of Flynn.

"Hah... Hah... Hah... Wait what!?... Hah... Hah... You... Hah... Hah... You're a GIRL!?" Flynn was shocked as he gasped for breath, Drake, Hatchette and Julia were trying to stifle their laughter.

"Oh, how rude of me! I forgot to introduce myself.'" Estellise brings her hand up to mouth and daintily coughs. "My name is Estellise Sidos Heurassein, pleased to hug...uh...I mean meet you." She does a short bow.

"Oh, right, my name is Flynn Scifo." Flynn introduced himself.

"Hatchette Gachot."

"Julia DuBois. It's been a couple of years since I last saw you. You've grown quite a bit."

"Oh, you're the victor of the games two years ago." Estellise said to the bespectacled cadet. "I met you before you left, remember?"

"Um...Yes. Both you and prince Ioder came to wish me luck" Julia answered.

"...I wonder if you're still interested in Ioder?" Estellise asked?

"...Well..." Julia presses her fingers together. "Ever since the ball on my victory tour, I've… Since fallen out of love for him and found...someone else..."

"I see..." Estellise replied. "… I remember the dance you two had… You two were so beautiful… Until..."

"… Yeah, We accidentally knocked over a cake on ourselves and got completely dirty." Julia's face reddens. "That was very embarrassing… It certainly didn't help that you were all laughing at that… Including Ioder..." That got Drake chuckling, which made Julia blush some more. "...Sir Drake...Please..."

"Hold on, didn't master Drake address you as lady?" Flynn asked.

"Um... Yes, you see, I'm a princess." Estellise stated.

"YOU'RE THE PRINCESS!?" Flynn and Hatchette were surprised to say the least.

"Well, duh, you two..." Julia snarked. "What's the matter? Never saw her without her makeup before…?"

"Last time I checked, yes I am." All three cadets then bow. "Hey, you three don't need to do that!"

"It's standard protocol, lady Estellise." Drake said.

"I know, but still..." Estellise replied.

"Um...Not to be rude or anything...um...lady Estellise, but why are you...dressed like that? I mean shouldn't a princess be wearing a... gown or something?" Flynn hesitantly asked.

"Cadet Scifo." Drake glowered.

"It's okay, master Drake, I think they need to know why I'm dressed like this." Estellise interjected. "This is because I'm taking horse-riding lessons, and I find that this outfit is quite practical for my lessons, seeing as floor length skirts and high-heels aren't quite suited for those fields. And besides (twirls around) Don't I look cute in this?"

"Um...Yes, lady Estellise, you look quite cute(in a tomboyish way)" Flynn answered.

Estellise Happily presses her hands to her now reddened cheeks. "Why thank you, Flynn, hee hee!"

Just then a voice calls out from around the corner. "Lady Estellise, where are you? I have to make sure you're properly dressed for your lessons."

"Oh no! Dame Margaret! I'm sorry I have to cut this conversation short, but if she catches me, she'll make wear a skirt and heels, and then complain about how dirty I got them. Bye!" And Estellise does a quick bow and runs down the hallway just as a young lady, her flaxen hair in two buns in the back of her head, came around the corner.

"Master Drake, Have you seen lady Estellise? I need to get her properly attired." Margaret asked

"Yes, I saw her." Drake answered. "She Hugged one of my cadets..." he points at Flynn, who blushes. "... And then ran off when she heard your voice."

"Which way did she go?" Margaret asked.

Flynn, Hatchette and Julia all pointed in different directions. "She went that a way." they all said, confusing Margaret.

"Really, you three. I swear that Yuri's a bad influence on you three, especially on you two, Hatchette and Julia." Drake scolded, the three cadets just smile sheepishly and rub the back of their heads. "She really ran that way." Drake points down the hallway that Estellise ran down.

"She was RUNNING!?" Margaret gasped. "A proper lady shouldn't run, she shouldn't be wearing trousers either! LADY ESTELLISE, GET BACK HERE!" Margaret starts running down the hall, only to trip on her skirt and do a face-plant "Owwww!". Drake and the cadets can't help but laugh.

"You should take your own advice, dame Margaret." Drake shakes her head. "Skirts like that weren't mean for running, you know." Margaret blushes, and continues to pursue Estellise...at a brisk walk. "Ah, she's new here. It'll be a while before she used to lady Estellise's... favorite activities. Like pre-dawn jogs around the courtyard and her horse-back riding."

* * *

_**(Ending flashback, returning to the dining hall, Flynn's point of view)**_

"Ha ha ha ha! So at first you thought lady Estellise was a guy, huh, Flynn?" Sir Jurgis laughed.

I felt my cheeks turn red. "Um...Yes, sir Jurgis, what with her short hair and her riding outfit." I replied. "Anyway, how did your meeting with commandant Alexei go?"

"Well, a lot better than yours, Flynn." Sir Jurgis replied. Commandant Alexei practically chewed me out over the fact that Captain Niren chose to put the safety of Shizontonia over attending an upcoming ceremony celebrating the end of the great war. "Well it seems that commandant Alexei wants to form a new blue front line brigade to replace the one lost in the great war, and I've been promoted to captain and I'll be forming this brigade."

"Congratulations, sir Jurgis." I saluted the newly promoted captain and then shook his hand.

"Thank you, Flynn." Sir Jurgis replied. "And I would like to invite you to join the newly formed Jurgis Brigade. Do you accept?"

"I do." I replied. Finally to be a fully certified knight instead of of being in a second-line garrison.

"Good, Now I'll have to go to the refugee camp, I plan to invite the rest of the former Niren corps to join, If I'm gonna start this brigade, best to go with the people we know right?"

"I guess, captain Jurgis, I guess that Elvin, Dave, the twins will be more than willing to join up." I said.

"Yeah, but I'm afraid that the twins are out." Sir Jurgis shook his head.

"Huh?"

"They got assigned to the Royal Guard." Sir Jurgis said.

"The Royal Guard? But don't they only take nobles?" I asked.

"I'll explain as we get fitted for our new armor, Flynn." Sir Jurgis replied. We left the dining hall and went down to the armory. I have a feeling that my new armor will be the same armor that I'm wearing...only blue instead of green. And sir Jurgis, now that he's captain will have his own distinctive style of blue armor.

* * *

_**(End part 2)**_

_**Author's Notes:**_

_**Julia DuBois is my OC character that'll be appearing in all my Valssu fan-fics. Think Sayoko Shinozaki from 'Code Geass' only with deep blue eyes and glasses and talks a bit like Rarity from 'My little Pony friendship is Magic', and you get the basic idea what she looks like. Her pre-academy background is inspired by The Hunger games Galaxies by fellow fan-fic writer, War292004 (Disclaimer: I do not Own Hunger Games Galaxies, that's the property of fellow fan-fic writer War292004, I'm just borrowing it.).**_

_**This chapter is my interpretation of Flynn's and Estellise's first meeting. As well as How Flynn got into that Blue armor we see him wear at the start of the game.**_

_**Margaret is based on that lady that was accompanying Estellise in "ToV, The first strike". I imagine her to be to Estellise like Dame Barbara was to princess Savina in the Smurfs, only younger.**_

_**Since Jurgis is a Lithuanian name, I thought it would give him an appropriate last name, Vytautas, which happens to be a name of a Lithuanian ruler from the fourteenth century.**_

_**Also Since Hatchette is a Flemish name(I think), I gave him a suitable Flemish surname. Also did a little tinkering with his family, made them nouveau-nobles, It's a word.**_


	3. Of Prostitutes, Perverts

_**Part 3. Of Prostitutes, Perverts, Hippies and Hooligans**_

* * *

_**(The Public Quarter, Nightfall) **_

_**(Yuri's point of view)**_

Man, what a day. That lady at the Comet's got me running around picking up this and dropping off that. I might as well be in the postal service. Hard to believe it's been three months since I had to quit the Knights. Too often, they won't help the people they're supposed to defend because they are 'just following orders', like that Royal Guard twit with the bowl haircut I punched out in Shizontonia. I mean why couldn't they be like Niren, now there was a knight with his priorities straight.

It has been three months since I saw Flynn, and The Aiheaps, Elvin(Damn that guy was BIG), Dave(Hope he didn't get tangled up in another water monster) and the rest of the Corps, They're all really nice guys(even if the twins are girls). Both Me and Flynn want to see the empire change for the better, Flynn's going at this through the legal and by the book way, staying in the knights, he plans to climb up in the ranks til he's high enough to make a difference. A good idea, I'll admit(but I wouldn't let him hear that), but it would take a long time, too long for many people suffering in the Empire. And then there's my way, I felt I could more for the Lower Quarter by leaving the Knights. Sure I get into a lot of trouble with the authorities, but I feel I'm making a difference.

Also, it has been over half a year since I saw Hatchette and Julia(or Four-Eyes because of her glasses). Last I heard, they got assigned to the Royal Guard, They're good people for nobles, hope they don't become total twits like that bowl-cut guy...whatever his name was, not that I care.

Anyway right now, Me, Ned, and Repede, who is now an almost filled out six month old war-dog (who had recently recovered from a bad injury that cost him the use of his right eye), with Niren's pipe in his mouth, are headed back to the Comet. Because of the time, we had to drive our donkey-cart through the Public Quarter's infamous Red-Light District. Infamous because there are a lot of whorehouses here that, I swear, service some of the smelliest perverts in all of Zaphias. Quite a few of the streets are fairly narrow here, fortunately We're on a fairly wide enough avenue that should take us quickly through this wretched hive of scum and villainy, you have to be cautious.

"Grrrr." Repede growled, he doesn't like this place. Me neither.

And neither did Ned. "Couldn't you've picked a better shortcut, Yuri?" Ned asked. "I'm only fifteen, I'm too young to be in this place." Yeah, and I'm only three years older.

"Don't worry, you two." I said to reassure 'em. "It's not like I'm planning to pick up any hookers or anything. Besides, our cart's kinda full." At that point, we ran into a couple of familiar, and smelly individuals. "Well well, if it isn't Bulky and Baldy, Still looking for new wives with no sense of smell?" We kinda cross paths a few times at the Comet. Let's face it, The only way those two can get any tail is if the girl is zonked out of her skull beforehand. I mean those two smell like hogs, and basically act like the stereotype people think about when they think of the Lower Quarter, and brown skinned people as well. Sheesh!

"Hey! The name's Eric, Yuri." Bulky protested.

"And mine's Stan! Can't you remember that?" Baldy replied in that low, smooth voice of his, I'm telling you that musclebound gorilla coulda been quite the singer...If he wasn't a smelly pervert. Once again, sheesh! "So why are you here, Lowell? Getting tail?"

"Dream on, Baldy." I replied. "Besides, I don't do drugged up hookers." I had seen some of the 'ladies of the evening' that 'work' here... often badly drugged up, their eyes dull and lifeless. It's just sad that sometimes women, some as young as Ned, are forced into doing this kind of a profession, It's kind of a dead end job...emphasis on dead.

… And from the sound of things, Bulky's friends are probably doing one of them right now. And they're doing in the street. Figures.

"Heh heh heh, She sure is nice and loud tonight." Bulky smiled. "Nobles make the best prostitutes I always say."

"Even when they're long broken in, like the one we're doing right now." Baldy added. I just give them a dirty look.

"Oh and did I mention that we got a couple of Yurzorean virgins that we'll be doing later?" Baldy said. "You two interested?" He offered.

"We'll pass, Baldy." I answered. "I got better things to do."

Yeah... better things than what that prostitute's doing and what these guys are doing to her...Why does she sound familiar? And it sounds like they stopped.

"Hey don't let us stop ya." Bulky said. "So beat it, Lowell, and let us have our fun." Humph! Gladly, the less time I spend here, the better. I get the cart in motion. As I pass the street where they were doing that woman, I take a look at the scene. Not surprisingly, she's completely naked as she just sat there gasping from her recent… well you know. Seeing that the area they're doing it is well lit, I could see that the hooker has dark brown hair... Wait a minute... is that who I think it is...? I stop the cart and jump off.

"Y...Yuri? What are you doing!?" Ned asked as I approached the exhausted hooker. "We don't have time for this... Not to mention I don't like the looks I'm getting."

"Grrrr" Repede threateningly growled, warning the johns not to get too close.

"Well well, Yuri, Now you want some tail, huh?" Bulky said. "But you'll have to wait your turn." Yeah yeah, At that point the hooker's face was covered by her hair, which is almost as long as mine. I move some of away from her face...

"What the Hell..." I said to myself in stark surprise at what I just saw... "Four-eyes...?" I'll be screwed...It's Julia! But her deep blue eyes were completely dull... "What are you doing here...?" Last I heard she's in the Royal Guard, what the hell is she doing here doing this?

"It's...Julia...Yuri…" Julia answered between gasps. Despite whatever drugs she's under, she still remembers me. Most prostitutes at that stage can't even remember their own names, let alone anyone else's.

"Hey, boy That's none of your fucking business." One of the johns snarled. "Either wait your turn or fuck off." So I walked back to the cart.

"About time, Yuri. Let's get outta here." Ned said. "These guys are giving me the creeps." I reach under the seat...

"Whine?" Repede asked. Knowing what I'm reaching for.

"You up to this?" I asked Repede just loud enough to hear.

"Whine...Woof woof" Repede wags his tail. He positions himself on the edge of the cart, ears flattened and hackles raised. "GRRROOOWWWLLLEEERRR!" He snarled his challenge at the johns as I pull out my scabbarded sword. You guessed it, we're gonna kick some arse.

"Hey, what gives, Lowe..." Bulky said just as I bashed him in the gut with my sword's pommel knocking the wind outta him, followed by a fast left hook to the face, sending him arse first to the cobblestones.

"What the fuck!" Baldy yelled just as Repede lunges off the cart, causing it to roll on its springs. He slams into baldy, pinning him to the street. "Why you fucking mutt!" Big mistake calling Repede a mutt...

..."GROWL!" He's a war-dog. Baldy tries to punch Repede but Repede dodges the swing and bites Baldy hard in the arm. Call him a mutt will you.

"AAARRRGGGHHH! MY ARM! HE'S BITING MY ARM!" Baldy screamed in pain, Repede was drawing blood. "LET GO! LET GO!" Baldy tries to shake Repede off, but no go. "SOMEONE HELP! MAD DOG! MAD DOG!" But Repede ain't the only 'mad dog' here...

There's a human version here as well, namely ME! "TAKE THIS, ASSHOLE!" I smacked a charging john up side the head with the flat of my sword. "Oh, YOU WANT SOME TOO!?" I kicked another in the gut, followed by a hay-maker to the jaw.

"GRRRRR RORWF RORWF RORWF RORWF!" Repede was snapping and biting at the johns, causing them to run like scared bunwigles in fear of either Repede giving them all rabies(which he doesn't have) or biting their dicks off, which I think that what's he's trying to do.

"AAAAH! MAD DOG! MAD DOG!" One of the johns yelled, fleeing from Repede.

"AAAAH! MAD YOB! MAD YOB!" A john that was running from me yelled after I tanned his friend's hide with my still scabbarded sword and bashed his face into a wall. I made it back to Julia. One of the johns reached out to grab her, probably to use her as a shield but I just give him a swift kick in the crotch. "EEEYYYAAARRRGGGHHH!" Enjoy the pain, jerk!

"You're gonna fucking pay for this, Yuri." Bulky snarled as he and baldy and some of the johns approached me with daggers drawn. Looks like they're serious about this...

….Fine then. "You two assholes really want to do this?" I fling the scabbard off of my sword revealing the razor sharp, gleaming steel underneath. "Bring it!" I coldly stared at them, ready to kill.

"GRRROOOWWWLLL!" Repede added for emphasis.

Well that got 'em to back down. "Hey hey, t...that's a REAL sword isn't it?" Bulky nervously asked.

"What, you'd think I'd carry around a fake one?" I replied. "Tell you what, you assholes, I'll give you two choices; Either run away like the rats you are or I'll just simply kill you all. So what's it gonna be?"

"Shit! No bitch is worth this, fine then, Yuri keep 'em, but mark my words, when their owners finds out, and they will, they'll be no place in the Empire where you can run, I promise you that." Yeah, yeah. Bulky turns to the others. "C'mon, Stan, let's get that arm looked at. You two help the boss..." And they all leave, and the air starts to smell better.

I notice Repede sniffing around a nearby door. "What is it, Repede, smell something?" I asked.

"Sniff sniff... Whine?...Sniff sniff... Woof woof woof!" He starts pawing at the door... Hold on... Didn't Baldy mention that they had some Yurzorean virgins? I open up the door and My hunch was right. They were Yurzoreans alright. They were both dressed is what appeared to be school uniforms with sailor collared blouses and knee length pleated skirts. One had short light brown hair and hazel eyes, the other had long, shoulder blade length jet black hair and blue eyes. And both of 'en looked rather young. How old are they? Both were tied up, and looked like they were scared, and, judging from their shiny eyes...undrugged. I guess those bastards were planning to zonk 'em up before they fuck 'em up.

"Um...Any of you two speak Mayoccian?" I asked. "My Yurzorean is kinda crappy."

"Y...Yes, sir." The long haired girl answered. "We know how to speak your tongue."

"How old are you two?" I asked.

The two schoolgirls looked at each other before the short haired one answered. "We're fifteen, why?" Say WHAT!? FIFTEEN!? Okay now this is just...wrong! If I'd known, I would have killed those bastards, and I want to kill their owners.

"Okay... You two might not believe this, but I'm here to get you outta here. No girl should be made to do this sort of work." I started to untie them. "I wonder, how'd you two end up here?"

"We were kidnapped, then sold to someone named Kitano Masaji, president of Honmatsutentou Blastia Management." The long haired girl replied.

"They were planning to have us...sob..." The short haired girl started to shiver. "...I'm so scared!"

"Me too..." The long haired girl added. She was shivering too

"You don't have to tell me, I understand." I interrupted. I don't know who this Kitano is, but something tells me he needs to die. "So what are your names?"

The short haired girl went first, pointing at her face. "I'm Nagisa Sekitan."

"And I'm Honoka Sekiei." The long haired girl added, also pointing at her face.

"And my name's Yuri Lowell." I introduced myself as I gathered what appeared to be Julia's stuff, Jeez that the hell was she wearing, Normally she wouldn't be caught dead in these clothes, It was an open-top bodice and a reddish floor length slit skirt, and high heels, looks like something a prostitute would wear... come to think of it... I find her glasses, and I notice one of the lenses was all cracked up. I lead the two girls outside to where Julia was laying. "Hey NED!" I called out to Ned. "Get over her and help me get her into the cart."

Ned runs over and helps me get her on her feet. "Jeez, Yuri, I thought you said you weren't picking up hookers."

"Yeah, I did, Ned. But I kinda know her from the Academy, and I think these two don't want to do this shithole job." I replied. "C'mon, Julia... On your feet. We're taking you away from here."

"So would you rather that we do it at your place, Yuri?" Julia slurred as she staggered back to the cart. Man whatever she's taking, has completely zonked her clean outta her skull.

"Well, actually, I'm taking you and those two girls to see a doctor I know at the Fountain Plaza, Julia." I replied as we loaded her onto the cart, we use a blanket to cover her nakedness.

"Oh is he gonna give us a good time?" She asked as I got on followed by Ned, Nagisa, Honoka, and Repede.

"Um...Actually he's gonna get you three...um...fixed up, you especially. This is definitely NOT you." I replied as I got the cart in motion. Let's face it, Julia needs some serious treatment, and those two Yurzoreans will probably need a checkup and maybe some treatment as well.

* * *

_**(The Fountain Plaza)**_

"I just can't believe you, Yuri Lowell." Anna, the lady at the Comet scolded as I had Julia go into my room to get dressed. "I thought I told you to pick up some vegetables and dried fish, not pick up three hookers as well, we're NOT that kind of business...Send them back."

"Sorry, Anna, I can't do that." I replied while Nagisa and Honoka held each others hands, nervously looking at Anna. "Besides, I think they all need help, Julia's badly drugged and needs serious medication, and these two happen to get kidnapped into this. I'm taking 'em up to Salem's to get treated."

"You're taking them to that Krytian hippie?" Anna said. "Are they his hookers."

"Really, Anna, you know he's an apothecary, not a pimp." I replied. "Besides, his wife would kill him. Look, he knows about all sorts of drugs, and he'll know how to get Julia back to her usual, if slightly snobbish, self."

"Snobbish?"

I explained. "She's originally from the Noble Quarter... Well actually she's Julia DuBois, remember?"

"That's...Julia DuBois?" Roy, the owner of the Comet asked looking at the staggering, less than tastefully dressed Julia as she approached. "… The noble that volunteered for the gods entertainment three years ago? Sure don't look and act like her." I agree, that outfit and behavior is definitely NOT her. Oh brother, I'm glad Flynn and Hatchette aren't here to see this.

"Well, once I get her fixed up, Roy, she oughta be a bit more recognizable." I said, and me and Ned took 'em up to the plaza and to the apothecary's place.

"Hey, have you two ever met a Krytian before?" Ned asked the two Yurzoreans.

"Ummm... We've heard of them, but we never met one." Nagisa answered.

"Well, you're about to meet a couple right now, but I'll admit, even for Krytians, they're a bit...um...weird." Ned replied as we approached the Apothecary.

I was about to knock on the door when... the door opened by itself. The first thing we smelled was incense and spices, and we saw Saleam, meditating in the middle of the room, eyes closed and, levitating a good foot off the floor. "Welcome to my pad, Yuri Lowell." He greeted me before he opened his eyes. "I sense that you have a need for my groovy services, but not for you, but for three young ladies. One whose mind is most seriously messed up by some bogus drug, am I right?"

"Is...He...Levitating?" Nagisa asked, looking quite surprised.

"Amazing...Simply amazing." Honoka looked as Saleam with fascination.

"Yep." Ned answered. "Told you he's a bit weird, even by Krytian standards."

"Well, one dude's weird is another dude's normal, Ned." Saleam replied. "So lets get those three in here, introduce me to 'em and tell me what's wrong with 'em." And we got the three girls inside.

"Well, Saleam this Is Julia DuBois." I started with Julia. "I found her in the Red Light District working as a Prostitute. I need to get her de-drugged so I could find out what happened to her." Next I introduced him to the two Yurzoreans. "This is Nagisa Sekitan and this is Honoka Sekiei. I just rescued them from being turned into sex-slaves."

"Right, Name's Saleam Rodgo, Apothecary and healer. Nice to met you." Saleam introduced himself.

"Kon'nichiwa, hajimemashite, Rodgo-sensei.(Hello, Nice to meet you, doctor Rodgo.)" The two schoolgirls bowed.

"Aww! How cute." Jilan, Saleam's wife, assistant, and fellow hippie, commented on the schoolgirl's greeting. "Oh, where are my manners, I'm Jilan Rodgo, Saleam's life-partner, or wife if you will." She then introduced herself. "So, Yuri, what's wrong with these two?"

"like Julia here, I also found 'em in the Red Light District. They were kidnapped and I think those bastards there were planning to deflower them, but I still want them checked out."

"Woah, you're telling me that these three chicks have some pretty bogus backgrounds, Yuri?"

"It would appear so, Saleam." I answered.

"Hey, hold on I just remembered something..." Saleam said. "That Julia chick..." He looks at Julia. "… Didn't someone earlier today buy some Tentacle Syrup antidote, Jilan?"

"Yes there was, Saleam..." Jilan replied as she examines the bill of sales. "A young man working up at Ragou's villa. According to the bill, his name was Oliver Copperfield. He said he was purchasing this to cure one Julia DuBois. Something tells me that she did not take the medicine."

"Bummer." Saleam shakes his head. "That stuff ain't easy to make."

"Oliver Copperfield!?" Nagisa gasped. "I remember him. He was trying to get us out of that place before… before..."

"Could you two explain?" I asked. I kinda want to know what was going on before I found 'em.

"Right, Yuri-san." Nagisa said. "It all started..."

* * *

_**(Start Flashback, Just outside the Castle, earlier today) **_

_**(standard point of view)**_

"How nice to have you back from your trip to Yurzorea, miss DuBois." Ragou smiled. "I hope you're looking forward to my...company, heh heh heh."

"To yours and Nero and Bruno's my lord." Julia replied.

"Right then." Ragou turns to Gradana. "And who are these two?" He asks about the two Yurzorean schoolgirls, Both were led by a rope tied to their bound wrists. And both looked scared.

"Oh them?" Gradana replied. "Oh they're a couple of freshly acquired slave girls I'm breaking in later on for my good friend Kitano Masaji, after I let him borrow Julia. I understand that the latest volume of 'Putting the Cart Before the Horse' magazine, will soon be distributed in the Lower Quarter in a couple days time, I oughta know...I delivered them."

"I heard that he was in town, Gradana." Nero, A slender brown haired councilman inquired.

"Quite correct, councilman Nero." Gradana replied. "I'm planning on having him borrow the twins in a few days time for a photo-shoot, once he gets his studio set up."

"We're looking forward to it." Nero and Bruno smiled.

"I understand that they're planning on moving the refugees to Heliord instead of my city, Gradana, is that true?"

"Yes, lord Ragou." Gradana answered. "The twins begged me to have them not go to Capua Nor, and I agreed to have it done, in exchange that they become my new slaves."

"I'll admit I'm a little disappointed that I won't be getting me new slave-labor force." Ragou stroked his goatee. "However, If I can have the twins for tonight, I'll be happy to agree to the refugees move to Heliord, I'll want something to vent my frustration on."

"You have a deal then." Gradana smiled.

"Excellent. Well might as well go to 'work'. Have these three taken to my new villa." Ragou orders one of his guards. "I'll be there at day's end."

* * *

_**(Ragou's villa, A few hours later)**_

"Where were you, boy?" One of the guards asked the eighteen year old stable-hand, Oliver Copperfield as he approached the gate.

"I was out, getting medicine for one of the horses, sir." Oliver replied. "One of the horses has caught a cold." Oliver has worked at this estate for three years, back when it was owned by Robert DuBois, who recently sold it, lock, furniture and servants, to Ragou Stufato shortly after Julia was dis-honorably discharged from the knights.

"Right then, you may enter." The guard allowed Oliver to pass. As he entered the villa, he goes upstairs instead of downstairs. That's because the medicine he was carrying wasn't meant for the horses, matter of fact, none of them had a cold. For the medicine is in fact, for Ragou's new 'guest', namely, the one that is the daughter of his old master.

He knocks on the door to their room. "Who is it?" A female voice called out

"It's Oliver Copperfield. May I enter?" He replied.

"Come on in, Oliver." Julia answered. And Oliver enters. "Did you come to do me?" She asked, her head bobbing left and right.

"Um... I'm afraid not, milady." Oliver replied. "Oh, man! Milady, what have done to you that would make you willing to commit such a thing? This is just wrong." Oliver then notices the two girls tied up to the bedpost. "Who are they?" He asked.

"Oh them?" Julia looks at the two schoolgirls in question. "Oh they're just a couple of new slaves my master borrowed from a friend of his.

"Please free us." Nagisa begged.

"We just want to go home." Honoka added. "We've been recently kidnapped. And they want to make us us do horrible things."

"Please." Nagisa begged. Both girls begin to sob.

Oliver knew all too well what they meant. Ever since Ragou bought the estate, and its staff, He had seen thing that his new master and his cohorts do things no one his age should see. And he wasn't about to allow the same things happen to Julia or those two Yurzoreans. Even if it meant his own life.

He places the bottle of medicine on the table next to the bed and pulls out his jack-knife. "Easy, you two..." He said to the two girls as they looked nervously at him. "I'm going to cut you free." He used the knife to free the two girls from the bedpost.

"Oliver, What do you think you are doing?" Julia demanded. "Those girls are not your property!"

"I freeing them, lady Julia..." Oliver replied as he picked up the bottle and offered it to Julia. "And now I want you to..."

"NO!" Julia suddenly slaps the bottle from Oliver's hand. It smashes up against the wall, spilling its red contents. "Master Granada Explicitly ordered me to not accept ant medicine unless he is the one personally giving it to me. And judging from the color and awful smell, you were trying to give me poison! HOW DARE YOU! GUARDS! GUARDS!"

Suddenly, Julia is hit from behind by a vase tossed by Nagisa. "Cool it, you baka!" She said as Julia collapsed to the floor unconscious, breaking one of her glass lenses in the process.

"Nagisa! Why did you do that for?" Honoka asked. Pointing at the unconscious lady on the floor.

"I couldn't think of anything better, Honoka!" Nagisa replied. "Just what's up with that crazy sex obsessed ojou-sama anyway?"

"She was drugged." Was Oliver's answer. "Gradana was drugging her for the past ten months. Using her to fulfill his every lustful desires."

"Well that explains it." Nagisa replied, looking down at the still prone Julia. "How are gonna get out of here now?" She looks at the barred windows.

"Not to worry..." Oliver replied as he tied up and gagged Julia. "I know a secret entrance that'll lead us safely away from here." He walks over to a wall and pulls down a bronze candle holder which reveals a hidden door. "Let's go." He said as he hefted Julia on his shoulders.

The two schoolgirls enter first, followed by Oliver, who closes the door behind them…

_**XXX**_

They emerged from a secret exit near a street a few blocks away. As they made their way past the Royal Quarter and down the hill to the Public Quarter, They heard some barking... Oliver realizes they were being followed. realizes they were being followed. It looks like someone found out they escaped. "RUN!" He shouted, and he and the two Yurzoreans ran, but they couldn't run very fast and soon, the big black, stub-tailed dogs caught up to them and tackled all three of them to the cobblestones.

"Thought you could get away from us, Huh?" Ragou said as he approached, accompanied by Gradana and his cronies. "And I suppose you're wondering how I found out. I had silent alarms placed on the secret passageways leading out of my villa. When you three tripped it, My loyal men contacted us and employed our hounds to track you from where you emerged." He looks at Oliver as his men restrain him. "Mr Copperfield, I'm afraid your services are...no longer required." He snaps his fingers, and one of his men slits Oliver's throat. Then they stuff the dying stable hand into a sack. "Dispose of this garbage as you see fit. And untie her."

The guards untie and ungag Julia.

"So, lord Ragou, what do you want done to them?" Gradana asked as he looked at the restrained schoolgirls, knowing the answer.

"Oh are you gonna make us have nice rough sex right here?" Julia asked.

"I don't believe this!" Nagisa exclaimed in surprise in the complete change in Julia's personality.

"Oh shut it you." Julia snapped back. "Why do I want to get away from all this? This is what we females were meant to be doing, to serve the desires of men. Who cares about equal rights, who cares about education, who cares about even being a knight? I don't anymore, and I prefer it like that. We are meant to be slaves and nothing more. I don't care if I'm a slave, I want to feel good as possible. And see what you did to my glasses? Do you know how much they cost? Nine-thousand gald! OOOOOOOOOOH!" Then she turns her attention to Gradana. "Oh master Gradana, can you replace these for me pleeeaaassseee?"

"...sob... Ojou-sama, you...you can't mean all that...sob sob sniffle sniffle..." Honoka cried.

"Oh but she does, you two." Gradana sneered. "Don't worry, my dear Julia, I know you won't aspire to be anything better, unlike that brat daughter of marquess Fortescue. And I'll get you a replacement pair of glasses just as cheap as the last pair." He strokes Julia's chin.

"Hmmmmm... What to do with you two...?" Ragou thought. "Ah! I know! I'll lend you to an associate of mine for a few days and have him put you to 'work'. And, If you don't mind, Gradana, I'd like Julia to accompany them, I'm sure she'd like the company of commoners."

"Not at all, lord Ragou. It'll truly show her her proper place; lower than even commoners. Hihihi!" Gradana laughed. "You'd like that won't you my dear?"

"If they are nice and rough... Oh yes I'd would, Master." Julia smiled back.

"Very well then. I'll take them to him." Ragou said. "And afterwords, I'll be back at my villa, waiting for the twins to...entertain us, heh heh heh."

"Rest assured, I'll send them over." Gradana bowed. And Ragou and his guards escort Julia, Nagisa and Honoka down to the Red Light District. The latter Two struggling and crying...in vain...for help.

* * *

_**(The Red light District, after sunset)**_

Nagisa and Honoka are tied up and placed into a room. Both of them are scared, shivering, and feeling more alone than any other time in their fifteen years of life. "Don't worry, Honoka-chan, it'll be all over soon." Nagisa said to her friend in her native Yurzorean.

"...sniff... Yeah...see you on the other side, Nagisa-chan." Honoka leans on her best friend. Both knowing that they may not survive the next few days. Suddenly her cries are interrupted with the sounds of fighting, The barking of what appears to be a large dog, the panicked cries of the johns, followed by screaming made by the man that Ragou sent them to. The next thing they hear is something scratching on the door, and then the door opens...

* * *

_**(Ending Flashback, Returning to present, Yuri's point of view)**_

"...And that's when you found us, Yuri-san." Nagisa finished. "And good thing too. Just thinking about what would have happened if you didn't show up sends chills down my spine… Brrrrr..." Nagisa clutches her arms and shivers.

"Ragou... Gradana...?" I asked myself. "I don't know about the first one, other than the fact he's supposed to be some magistrate. But Gradana... I think I may have met him before. Julia, what kind of haircut did he have?"

"A short bowl-cut, oh and my master's hair was flaxen colored too." Julia answered. "Oh and he's in the Royal Guard."

"Yeah, I met him." I replied. "He was that bowl-cut twit that I punched out in Shizontonia three months ago." Something tells me I need to add Ragou and Gradana to my still growing (s)hit list.

"Man, Nagisa, that's a pretty bogus story you told us there. Saleam commented. "High time I got started on checking you three out. But first, Julia..." Saleam gives her a bottle. "I want you to drink this. This will cure you of tour Tentacle Syrup addiction"

"But Saleam I don't want to be cured of my addiction, I want to be a slave to my darling master Gradana. You absolutely Can't make me."

"Guess we're doing it the hard way." I quickly restrained Julia and forced her down to her knees. "Ned, get her mouth open and our that stuff in!"

"Right, Yuri..." Ned replied as he took the antidote.

"Unhand me you foul ruffian!" Julia protested as she struggled trying to get back up on her feet. Ned pinches her nose shut forcing her to open wide. He sticks the open end of the bottle in and pours the antidote into her mouth. It wasn't easy as she was trying to spit it all out, but we forced her mouth shut and forced her to swallow.

"BLEEECH! What did you force me to drink!?" Julia sputtered as we let her go. "It tastes like rotten turnips! Ugh! My stomach!" After a couple of minutes her eyes started to get clear and shiny. "Huh…? Wha…? Yuri…? Where am I I?" She asked me.

"Don't you remember?" I asked as I let her go.

"I...I don't understand…" Julia said as she got back on her feet. Last thing I remember was I was having dinner with major Gradana and… Suddenly m… body started feeling rather tingly. And my head felt rather dizzy and hot… and now..." Then she notices her dress. "What in the name of Zaude am I wearing?" And her glasses. "AH! My glasses, How did I break these? How…? Wha…? How did my hair get this long…?" She was looking completely confused.

"I suppose I should explain the particulars of Tentacle Syrup, dudes and chicks." Saleam said. "Now besides the dizziness and slight fever in your heads, not to mention the strong tingling in certain parts of your body... It also causes all your pain to turn into pleasure, make you rather addicted to sex, that with it being an aphrodisiac and all. Not to mention the addiction to sex it causes can really mess up your moral compass, making you act like a totally different person, course the amount of difference varies from person to person."

"I was drugged?" Julia gasped. "Why would Gradana do that?"

"I guess he wanted to turn you into a slave Julia." Saleam replied. "And I'm guessing that you were a long term user of that bogus drug. You're currently suffering from drug induced amnesia, eventually it'll wear off, and you'll remember what you did, But I'll have to warn you, You may not like what you'll be remembering, thought I'd warn you."

"If it's okay, We'd like to keep them here overnight for observation and treatment, Yuri." Jilan suggested.

"Will that be okay with you, Julia?" I asked.

"Um... I suppose so, Yuri, I'll see you in the morning, I still don't understand what happened to me."

"Don't worry, Julia, We'll sort it out. "I reassured. "See you in the morning." And Me, Repede and Ned left them At Saleam's and went back to the Comet. Boy what a day, and I have a feeling that tomorrow's gonna be a doozy.

* * *

_**End Part 3)**_

_**Author's Notes:**_

_**Eric and Stan are characters(that I gave names to) that originally appeared in issue 1 of Mangetsu Santan By Valssu (As Estellise's 'first and second' customers respectively).**_

_**The guy that Yuri kicked in the nads(I'm gonna call him Kyle) originally appeared in the last few pages of Mangetsu Santan 3. I brought all three of them, and their friends here for Yuri to use as punching bags and, in the case of Stan, for Repede to use as a chew toy *evil laugh*.**_

_**And, oh yes, I will turn 'em into butt-monkeys in Scattered Moon, once I get this story finished. *more evil laughing***_

_**The outfit that I had Julia wear is similar to the outfit that Estellise wore when she met Flynn in Mangetsu Santan 3.**_

_**Nero Lupo and Bruno Kanec are corrupt councilmen(That I also gave names to) that originally appeared appeared in Mangetsu Santan. Nero in issue 1, Bruno in issue 3.**_

_**What happened to Nagisa and Honoka sometimes(and sadly) happens IRL. Sometimes young girls do get kidnapped abroad and find themselves sold into slavery in eastern Europe, Africa The Middle East, and East Asia.**_

_**Nagisa and Honoka are actually based on the two lead characters from Futari-wa Precure (We are Pretty Cure).**_

_**Disclaimer; I don't own Futari-wa Precure or it's characters, they are the property of Izumi Todo and Toei Animation. I'm just using lookalikes of them.**_

_**Saleam and Jilan are both based on Salim Nafs and Julanar Respectively from the old Quest for Glory games from the early nineties.**_

_**I figured this is a good time an any to give a more detailed explanation on Valssu's infamous drug. There'll be more info on it in the following chapter. Expect a few queasy characters**_

_**I'll be focusing on Julia's rehabilitation in the next couple of chapters before I can get around to tackling the Aiheaps. Until then enjoy the ride.**_


	4. Glasses, Daggers, And Flashbacks

_**Part 4. Glasses, Daggers and Flashbacks**_

* * *

_**(The Comet, Early morning, A few days after part 3)**_

_**(Julia's point of view)**_

"Not hungry, Julia? You need to eat you know." Yuri asked.

"I know, Yuri. It's just..." I took a deep breath. "I'm feeling a bit queasy right now. Last night, I found a book on drugs that included an article on Tentacle Syrup, and you know what I found? Everything Saleam said about is true, also it's the ... ugh... saliva from the tentacles of a rather disgusting creature in the Kiev Moc forests called a valssuwreath. Hideous..." Just thinking about that disgusting thing made me shudder.

"Guess they should call it 'Monster Drool'." Yuri commented.

"Yes, Yuri, it would be a more appropriate name for that revolting stuff." I replied, starting to feel a bit green. "It may taste sweet, but it absolutely doesn't change the fact that I was...I was... UGH!... Drinking monster drool for nearly ten months!... Ugh... urp... Could you two excuse me!" I immediately got up and ran outside. "GET OUTTA MY WAY!" I managed to get around the corner into the alley before I started vomiting...UGH! I finally stopped vomiting after a couple of minutes, that's when Yuri gave me a couple of tissues so I could clean my face.

"You know, Julia, I think it's best we talk about something other than drugs." Yuri suggested.

"Yeah… Ugh...That would be a good idea." I replied. "Like..."

"Your new clothes, for example." Yuri pointed at my borrowed attire, honestly. "Never figured you for a hippie."

"Well, I never figured myself for a prostitute either, Yuri… sigh...Well at it's a step up." I commented, looking at my reflection in the window. Right now my long hair is braided and draped over my right shoulder (I almost look like my old hunting guide Katniss, or that absolutely vapid tribute, Kantmiss from three years ago), and I'm wearing a tye-dye cotton shirt, blue cotton trousers held in place with a hemp belt, and rubber sandals with canvas strips.

"All you need right now is a headband, bead necklace, and a pair of big loopy ear rings." Yuri started.

"Don't forget the sunglasses, dude." Saleam finished.

"Very funny, you two." I replied. "like I said, I'm just borrowing these til I can get some proper clothes, but first, I need a haircut and a new pair of glasses. I simply can't do a thing with these." I showed them my broken pair. "I had these for eight years. Tortoise-shell bridge and arms and the finest milled and polished crystal lenses money can buy, I can save the tortoise-shell parts and one of the lenses, but I think it's best until get these restored, I should buy a new, and much cheaper. pair of lenses..." I sighed in resignation

"So how are you're gonna pay for it?" Yuri asked. "It's not like you're rich anymore."

"Guess not, Yuri..." I replied. "I have a bad feeling that my family dis-owned me...Again..."

"Again…?" Yuri asks.

"Weren't you down in Nordopolica three years ago, Yuri?" I said.

"Yeah, for the reaping, so…?"

"Didn't you hear Father yelling from the guest rooms?"

"Oh..." Yuri realizes.

I continued. "... Not to mention, I'm no longer a knight… sigh... However I do have this." I showed Yuri a pouch.

"Oh yeah, I found that with your stuff last night, I think that's a money pouch." Yuri said.

"Yes, Yuri, dirty money I earned and saved from doing that dirty work." I opened up the pouch, revealing not only Ilyccian gald, but Tolbyiccian korunas? Yurzorean yens? Desier drachmas? Where have I been going? "I'm gonna get these foreign coins exchanged for gald, and we'll go from there."

"Well the shopping plaza should be open right now, Julia, I'm headed up there to get some beer and rum for the Comet, we're running kind of low on both." Yuri said. "There's a Fortune's Market clerk near the stairs leading to the Noble Quarter. You can get your coins exchanged there."

"Thanks, Yuri." I replied.

"Might as well head up too, dudes." Saleam interjected. "Kinda in the market for a welding vizor."

Just then "woof woof woof" this big blue dog with a scarred face and ...A pipe in it's mouth? A bodhi blastia on its tail?... Came loping towards us. I almost jumped out of my skin. I mean that dog was big!

"Nice of you to join us, Repede." Yuri said. "Oh yeah, I guess I haven't introduced you two yet, even though you both met the other night."

"Wait a second, Yuri, Isn't that the dog I saw you with last night? The one that was biting at my...customers?" I asked. I never realized how big he was until right now. I'll admit, I'm a bit intimidated.

"Yep, Julia this is Repede." Yuri introduces me to his horse, uh, I mean dog. "Repede, this is Julia."

"Um...Nice to meet you, Repede." I reached out to pet him. Don't knock me over, don't knock me over!

Repede just looks at me. "Whine?" And just wanders away a few feet.

"Guess he's not interested, Yuri." I commented.

"Don't worry, It'll take him a while to get used to new people, Julia." Yuri replied.

"Just as long as he doesn't knock me over." I said. "By the way how old is he?"

"Six months." Yuri answered.

"I see." I replied. Now that I look a Repede, it's clear to me he's a blue war-dog. And from what I know about them they are quite smart, can get as big as wolves and weigh up to one hundred and seventy pounds, solid muscle. "How did you get this guy? Aren't they Imperial Knight property? And what's with the pipe."

"I'll explain as we head up to the shopping plaza, Julia." Yuri headed to the stall where they keep that mule and cart.

* * *

_**(The Shopping Plaza, After Julia exchanges her coins)**_

Yuri tells me that The pipe in Repede's mouth once belonged to his former owner, and Yuri's former commander, Niren Fedrock, who died in a blastia explosion that caused Shizontonia's barrier blastia to short out, leading to that town's evacuation some three months ago. It was probably in the papers, but because of that awful drug... I don't think I can remember it right now. Also Repede's bodhi blastia once belonged to his sire, Lambert, which Yuri, if I understand correctly, was forced to put down when an Aer monster took control of his body, Yuri had a tough time bringing that up.

I was able to get all my foreign coins exchanged, and, adding then to the gald I already got, I think I have about, let's see two thousand gald. Not much, but I guess it'll have to do. Yuri headed over to the alcoholic beverage stall to pick up the beer and rum for the day's use, returning the barrels to be cleaned and refilled. Saleam headed over to a hardware booth, no doubt looking for his welding vizor, and I was able to find a place where they make and sell eyeglasses. "Excuse me sir, can you fix these glasses for me?" I asked the clerk.

He takes a look at my ruined spectacles. "Hmmm...crystal lenses huh? Four thousand five hundred gald." He said. Heeeee! I don't think I can afford that right now.

"Um...Aheh heh heh... How much then for a new pair with... Oh dear... glass lenses." Talk about a step down, I mean replacing my fine crystal eyeglasses with a pair made with a mundane commoner material.

"Well, two hundred and twenty gald for a new pair using regular glass, and that's for the round ones, they get more expensive if you want them styled to resemble your old glasses, that's one hundred gald per lens plus twenty for frames, arms and labor. Take it or leave it."

"...sigh... Okay deal. Oh yeah, my eyesight is..." After an hour, I was finally fitted with my new eyeglasses. I took a look at myself in the mirror that the clerk provided me. Surprisingly for glass, I can see quite clearly... that I look even more egg-headed than ever, and yet after I get my hair cut, I might make it work. I pay the clerk the amount asked, and go look for a barber…

The hair-cut and restyling cost me only twelve gald, but I got my hair back to chin length, I look in the mirror... Oh good, just how it looked before everything went blurry.

"Now there's the Julia I know." Yuri approached. "Wow I didn't think you can get more... egg-headed, but those new glasses actually made it possible." Oh good grief, I roll my eyes up from that comment, and he's right, I do look like an egg-head, which truth be told...I am! I like to read all kind of books, and I have an I.Q. of 120. "So how are they?"

"Surprisingly enough, every bit a good as my old lenses, but the weight might take a little getting used to." I replied. Well the round lenses are somewhat larger and heavier than the previous oval shaped lenses. "I'd like to look at some weapons, Yuri. Is there a place that sells them nearby? A proper noble simply can't go around without at least a dagger to defend oneself." Not even a fallen one like me.

"Fortune's Market actually sells them, Julia." Yuri answered.

"By the way, Yuri, why aren't you with the cart?"

"Ah, I got Repede guarding it right now." We headed back to the Fortune's Market building. "Hmm... special; buy two daggers get one free." Yuri was looking at the sign next to the stall while I took a look at some of the daggers they had. Kind of looking for a reasonably cheap but good quality fighting knife.

While I was examining one such dagger, it has a good balance, the clerk came up to me. "That's a Kogarashi, made in Capua Nor. Three hundred and fifty gald and she's yours." A bit too steep so I put it back.

"Don't suppose you have any Karakaze daggers." Yuri asked.

"Sorry sold out." the clerk replied. "Besides they're five hundred gald each." Yikes! That much money for a knife? "You look a little surprised at the amount huh?" The clerk smiled. "well that's because that dagger come with a set of skills built in using a technique designed by Assam the blade master." I've heard of those. I was about to look somewhere else when something interesting caught my eye.

"Can I have a look at those?" I asked, and the clerk handed me over this rather plain looking dagger. It had an eight inch tapered steel blade, a wood handle and circular guard and pommel.

"If I'm not mistaken, that's a rondel dagger, Julia." Yuri commented. "How's it feel?"

"Hmmm...feels okay. Good balance." I replied. Hmmmmm...I wonder... "Can I have another one. I want to try something." The clerk, with a puzzled expression hands me another rondel.

"Everybody, you may want to stand back." Yuri warned. I took a deep breath, a rondel in each hand and started my knife fighting drills. Starting with the basic thrusts and swings and gradually went into more and more complex fighting techniques, many of them using my own martial arts skills. Needless to say, it was drawing quite the crowd by the time I finished. Nice to see I still remember how to fight. Everybody started clapping. Which made me a bit giddy, aheh heh heh heh, so much for a low profile. "Thank you, thank you, she'll be here all week." Yuri bowed. Not helping, Yuri. "So how much for those?" He asked the rather surprised clerk.

"They're two hundred gald each." He answered.

"Combined cost; four hundred gald." I added up the cost. "Right, throw in the Kogarashi and we have a deal." Might as well take advantage of the offer. So for the price of a Kogarashi plus fifty gald, I manage to get three good quality daggers. I'll probably give Yuri the Kogarashi as a thank you gift for freeing me. I have a feeling these rondels suit my two-knife style of fighting.

"All right everybody, break it up. Break it up." Shouted a rather authoritative voice, which made the crowd part, revealing a knight in Schwann Brigade colors. "Yuri Lowell, I should have known you were behind this." The Schwann Brigade knight accused.

"Nice to see you too, Leblanc." Yuri replied.

"You know this knight?" I asked.

"He does, ma'am. Allow me to introduce myself." Leblanc then bowed. "Sergeant Leblanc Javert, Schwann brigade at your service. Is Yuri Lowell harassing you."

"No, sergeant." I replied. "Matter of fact this crowd that you just broke up was my doing. I was trying out some fighting daggers, and I guess my little demonstration caught some attention. I do apologize."

"Well...Since no people were hurt, I'll let you off with a warning." Leblanc said. "Next time I'll have to fine you or have you spend a night in jail for public disturbance. This area is meant for shopping, not public weapons demonstrations."

"Rest assured, it won't happen again, sergeant." I said.

"See that it doesn't ma'am. Good day." Leblanc turns and walks off. "...sigh... Hippies..." What makes him think I'm a... Oh right. "Huh? Saleam? Are you taking up welding now." He notices Saleam approaching with his newly purchased welding vizor.

"Hey there Leblanc dude." Saleam smiled back. "Oh this? Thinking 'bout doing some welding art." Leblanc looks puzzled.

"Um...Okay. Move along." And Leblanc moves on. "I'll never understand that Krytian." Shaking his head as he went.

"Hey there, dudes." Saleam casually greeted. "Got what I was looking for." He shows us the welding vizor. "Well, Julia, I see you got some new specs, and a haircut and, oh bummer are those fighting daggers?"

"Yes, Saleam." I replied. "I take it you're opposed to weapons?"

"Yep, Julia, As a hippie, I find weapons rather bogus. But to each his or her own, just as long as you don't use 'em on me." Saleam answered. "Harming doctors is seriously bad karma. Anyhoo, I picked up some ingredients to mix up a prescription for you. Also I'm gonna be checking the two schoolgirls."

"So you're putting Julia on contraceptives, huh, Saleam." Yuri asked.

"Yep." Saleam replied. We then went back to the cart and Repede and headed back to the fountain Plaza... I feel kind of worried for those Nagisa and Honoka. It's their turn to be checked. Oh dear.

* * *

_**(the Comet, late afternoon, after Nagisa's and Honoka's...procedures)**_

"How are you two feeling?" Ned asked, offering them some sandwiches and sarsaparilla.

"Were... Fine, Ned-san, still a virgin." Nagisa answered, blushing slightly. "But still, I felt so embarrassed." She presses her fingers together as her face turns red, poor girl.

"And yet, despite how uncomfortable we were, Rodgo-sensei was quite gentle, and was quite professional. Surprising when you consider his looks."

"Quite true, you two, never judge a book by its cover." I said, taking a bite out of one of the sandwiches, finally got my appetite back. You know these are good.

Around that time, Yuri returned from his latest delivery. "What do you think of those sandwiches? Made those before I went out." Yuri commented.

"You made those?" I asked. "I thought Anna made them."

"Well, had to learn how to cook my own meals in order to keep from eating the stuff Flynn made, Julia." Yuri said. "You remember how bad his cooking was."

"Oh, yuck, do I." I replied, recalling how bad Flynn was back in the academy. "He means well, but I swear that person must have been born without taste-buds."

"Heh heh heh. Sometimes I wonder, Julia." Yuri laughed. "By the way, Natalie, Hannah, what do you two think of Julia's new haircut and glasses." He asked the schoolgirls...Wait a minute...Natalie...? Hannah...?

"Well, ojou-sama's new hairdo looks pretty kawaī(cute)." Nagisa answered. Why thanks, Nagisa.

"But her new glasses, no offense, ojou-sama, make her look a bit...nerdy." Figures, none taken, Honoka "Wait a minute, Yuri-san, What did you call us?"

"Well I figured you two could use some new names, something that's a little easier for us to pronounce." Yuri explained. "So what do you two think,(points at Nagisa) Natalie? (points at Honoka) Hannah?"

"I should explain, you two." I said. "Yuri here has a bit of a habit of nicknaming people."

"That's true, Julia." Yuri smiled.

"So what do you two think of your nicknames?" I asked.

"Well, at least the first letters match up." Honoka answered.

"You know I kinda like mine." Nagisa added.

"Me too." Honoka said, also smiling. "Hey, we should change our last names as well."

"Let me give it a go, Yuri." I said. After a few minutes of pondering... "Hmmm... Let's see Nagisa's last name translates as coal, and Honoka's last name translates as quartz... Ah! I got it!" I wrote down their new names on a sheet of paper and showed it to them. "What do you two think? Natalie Cole, Hannah Quartze."

"They look good." Honoka answered.

"Guess that'll be our new Ilyccian names then." Nagisa added. "...ahem.. My name is Natalie Cole, Pleased to meet you." Natalie greeted us.

"And my name is Hannah Quartze, also pleased to meet you." Hannah also greeted us. Both of them bowed.

"You know, you should probably get then some new clothes as well." Anna suggested. "Those uniforms, although they're cute, do kinda stand out."

"She has a good point, Julia." Yuri said. "One of the reasons for their name change was to make it easier for them to lay low until we can find a way to return them home Seeing as their kidnappers are looking for Nagisa and Honoka, NOT Natalie and Hannah." Welcome to Yuri's witness protection agency...Hee hee hee.

"Right, I certainly don't want them to have to suffer if we could help it." I replied, a worried expression on my face.

"I guess your right, DuBois." Anna commented. "I imagine it can be as bad, Um...DuBois...? Are you okay...?"

"Hey, Julia, what's with the thousand yard stare?" Yuri asked, but I barely heard him, nor Natalie and Hannah.

I was starting to get other memories back. I could still feel every terrible thing done to me. But mostly I was just sobbing… And Now I remembered Oliver's death at Ragou's command.

"Hey Julia, You okay?" I heard Saleam's voice break through the haze and snap me back to the here and now. I was back in the Comet, laying on the floor, now surrounded by Yuri, Ned, The schoolgirls, Anna, Saleam and Jilan, All of them looking worried. "One minute, you blanked out, and the minute after that you were on the floor crying your eyes out." Saleam said, and I noticed that my face was completely wet with my tears, and they were still coming...

"I...I think I'm fine, Saleam." I replied, getting myself into a sitting position. "I think I'm starting to remember everything."

"So can any dudes tell me what happened?" Saleam asked.

Anna answered. "I'm not sure, but While we were talking, Julia suddenly spaced out and then collapsed to the floor and started crying. Oh gods, Is she okay?" Did Anna just call me by my first name?

"I'm...I'm okay, Anna." I replied.

"I have a good idea what happened, Julia." Jilan said. "It would appear that she inadvertently triggered your memories, causing you to remember every traumatic event suppressed by the drug. Is that what happened?" Jilan asked. "Please, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

It was rather difficult, but after a few minutes I answered. "Yes… that's what happened… Oh Zaude, you can't imagine the evil that those… things did to me."

"Bogus." Saleam said.

"So there's nothing really wrong with her then, physically wise, huh, Doc?" Yuri asked.

"Yep, dude, even used my groovy healing artes to make sure myself." Saleam answered. "What happened here was pretty much in her head, well I specialize in the physical stuff, my soul mate leans towards what's going on behind the eyes and between the ears."

"Oh, ojou-sama, I'm so sorry."Hannah said, squeezing my hands.

"Me too." Natalie placed her hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks, you two." I replied. "I'm gonna need some time to think, guys. I've got ten months of shit to sort out."

"If you want, I can help you sort out your memories, Julia." Jilan offered.

"Appreciate it, Jilan." I replied. Like I said I've got ten months of shit to sort out. And none of it is...pleasant to say the least.

* * *

_**(End part 4)**_

_**Author's Notes:**_

_**By now some of you might notice that I had Yurzorea's language and culture be roughly similar to that of Japan's (Ex. Nagisa &Honoka's names, some of their words, and their school outfits). Seems Appropriate since Tales of Vesperia is, after all, a JRPG.**_

_**Also, I imagine that the various continents on Terca Lumireis have their own local coinage, but they all accept Ilyccian gald.**_

_**The glasses Julia buys will become her distinguishing feature and her rondel daggers will be her weapon of choice. Also her daggers are based on real world weapons, and yes they come with eight inch blades.**_

_**Nagisa's and Honoka's new names(Natalie and Hannah respectively) are, in fact, the dub-names that were used in the English dub of Futari wa Precure(or Pretty cure as it was called). Other than the name change, the dub was quite good. It's too bad that YTV would rather buy up the next 500 episodes of Spongebob Squarepants and Fairly Oddparents instead of getting season 2 of Pretty Cure dubbed, a shame really.**_

_**Next chapter will be a flashback chapter telling how Gradana enslaved Julia.**_


	5. Scattered Glasses, A Prequel

_**Part 5. Scattered Glasses, a Prequel**_

_**Note: Much of this chapter's content takes place before chapter one.**_

* * *

_**(The roof of Saleam's pad, one day after part 4)**_

_**(Julia's point of view)**_

"Well, Julia, How's your memory coming along?" Jilan asked me as she and Yuri and the schoolgirls came up onto the roof. I've been spending the last day or so reminiscing about the last ten months.

Although much if it is sex, sex, sex, and, you guessed it, more sex, good grief. There are a few things that stand out, but I'd best not say… ugh.

Let's face it, some of the things Kitano and Gradana made me do, quite a bit of it involving dark-skins... My brain needs a shower. And I may be developing a serious dislike of dark-skins, well the big obese sex-obsessed ones anyway.

Not to mention I just want to cry. Especially after what happened to Oliver

"Wish I hadn't got them all back, Jilan." I replied. "But there is one that stands out from all that crap."

"Oh, what is it then, Julia." Yuri asked.

"Well no doubt you know that it was Gradana that messed up my life, right?" I answered. "Well I remember the day it all got started. The day I lost my virginity….And turned me into the pathetic wretch you found the other night?" I took a deep breath and let out a sigh.

So how did that happen, Julia?" Yuri asked. "We wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to talk about it."

"But I might as well talk about it, Yuri." I replied. "Might help me cope with all that's happened." I took a deep breath, might as well get it over with. "It all started a few weeks after my eighteenth birthday, an ablout a week or so into my career when..."

* * *

_**(Royal Guard HQ, Gradana's office, Roughly ten months ago)**_

It's bee a week since I graduated from the academy. Yuri and Flynn rode off to join the garrison in Shizontonia. While Hatchette and me stayed here in Zaphias, along with the rest of the Royal Guard. Things have been uneventful. One day my commanding officer, Gradana Stafford asked me to meet him at his office after I got off duty. Once I was finished with my day's work, I headed to his office. I knocked on the door of Gradana's private office

"Who is it?" Gradana replied on the other side.

"It's me, lieutenant Julia DuBois." I answered back. "Did you call for me, sir Gradana?"

"Yes I did, lieutenant, please enter." And I entered the office. The first thing I noticed that Gradana had set up a table with a pure white linen cover, fine snow white porcelain plates with the Stafford family crest embossed in blue on them, and silverware polished to perfection. Not to mention there was a bottle of chianti and two wineglasses, made from the finest crystal, their quality rivaling my crystal lenses glasses. Wow. "I see that you're quite impressed, lieutenant."

"That would be an understatement, sir." I replied. "Are you inviting me to dinner, sir?"

"Yes I am, lieutenant." Gradana enchantéed. "It's not every day that we get a lady of your high standing in the First Bodyguards." He pulls out the chair. "Please allow me."

I press my hands up to my reddened cheeks. "Why thank you, good sir." I go to sit down. Gradana pushes the chair under me, My what a gentleman. I can see that my tour with the First Bodyguards of the Royal guard will be quite enjoyable. "What are we having, sir Gradana?"

"For you, my dear, we are having roast pheasants, freshly shot by yours truly and roasted seasoned potatoes with ranch dressing, with a goose paté on white crustless bread as an appetizer. And for our refreshment; my own personal stock of red chianti wine made from the finest grapes in Halure." Gradana smiled.

"My my, that sounds quite marvelous, sir Gradana." I smiled, pressing my hands together.

"Indeed it is, my dear Julia, indeed it is." Gradana said. "Ah I see that the appetizer has arrived." We see the paté brought in by a royal guardsman with a black buzz-cut and a face that looks...well...reptilian to say the least. He places the paté in front of us. "Thank you Louis."

"You're welcome, sir." Louis answered. I swear he was hissing his words. He waited as we had our patés.

"So how are you finding the Royal Guards, lieutenant Julia?" Gradana asked.

"Rather quiet actually, sir Gradana." I answered. "I thought we would be doing patrols protecting travelers from monsters and brigands."

"Well that task is more suited to the other brigades, like the Schwann Brigade for example, or to the town garrisons." Gradana replied. "Whereas the Royal Guard, as the name stated in in charge of protecting the emperor/ess, or in this case, candidates to the throne. I understand that you already met one of those candidates a few weeks ago. I believe it was that pink-haired tomboy, lady Estellise, wasn't it?"

"Yes it was, sir Gradana." I replied, taking a bite of my paté. "She took quite a liking to cadet Flynn."

"Flynn? As in Flynn Scifo?" Gradana asked.

"Um...Yes, sir Gradana." I replied. "You know him?"

"Well, I knew his father, Finath Scifo before his death, If only he obeyed orders." Gradana said. "Ah I see the main course has arrived." And, true enough, another royal guardsmen arrived, he had a pretty roundish face and a black crew-cut, he places our dinners on our plates, the smell of our roast pheasant and potatoes was divine. "Thank you, Derick."

"No problem." Derick replied. "Do you want me to pour the wine?"

"Certainly. You know what to do." Gradana answered. Derick nods in acknowledgment, takes the bottle and our wineglasses to the desk, his back towards us. He opens the bottle, pours Gradana's drink first and places it in front of him, then he pours mine and places it in front of me. Then he whispers something in Gradana's ear, making Gradana smile. "Good, good, guhihihi." What a weird laugh.

"Something Funny, sir Gradana?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing important, lieutenant, let us continue our dinner." Gradana replied and we continued to eat. The pheasant was quite delicious and the potatoes were quite tasty, even more so with the ranch dressing. "I understand correctly that you once visited the gods realm...and lived to tale the tale."

"Um...yeah. But I don't like to talk about the event." I said trying to dodge the issue. That sick game those people(I don't see them as 'gods' despite their claim to be.) made us play isn't something I'd like to talk about.

"I'm not talking about the games, lieutenant, I'm more interested in their world." Gradana said, taking a bite out of a drumstick. "What's it like?"

Well I do suppose I could talk about that. "The locals there call it 'Panem', which is short for 'panem et circenses' which translates into Ilyccian as 'bread and circuses', Might explain their fondness for games, especially the sick one they force us to 'play'. The people there, make even us nobles look like commoners by comparison, and are very decadent to say the least, have the most hoidy-toidy accents, and the blastia technology they have would make the Geraios civilization pale by comparison."

"Interesting." Gradana replied with some fascination. "I have a feeling I'd fit right in." It didn't take long to finish our dinner. Gradana asked me more about the god's realm and I answered as much as I could. "I think you should try the wine now, lieutenant Julia, it's quite delicious."

"I suppose so." I took a sip of my wine, Gradana's right, it's quite sweet, almost a port. We talked some more as we drank our wine. Woah, just how strong is that stuff, all of a sudden, my head feels all dizzy and hot.

"Are you okay, lieutenant?" Gradana asked.

"I'm fine, captain Gradana." I placed my hand on my forehead. "That wine is awfully strong, it made my head spin and it feels a bit hot...Huh? What's going on? Now my breasts and my... privates are tingling! Just what's in this wine...?" Whats happening to me...? And why is Gradana, Louis and Derick smiling at me like that...?

"Guhihihihi!" Gradana laughed. "Gentlemen, I do believe it's time for...dessert."

"Dessert?" I asked. I can't seem to think straight. "Wha...What's for dessert?"

"Why you, lieutenant." Gradana smiled, what is he talking about? "You're going to sex with us. Starting with me. I'm so looking forward to taking your virginity, guhihihihi!" What did he say...!? Is he mental...!? Ah...! The dizziness and tingling got more intense... What's happening to me...?

"You certainly can't expect me to do that, sir." I protested, standing up. "That's not a part of a kni..."

"SHUT IT, BITCH!" Gradana shouted, and I suddenly clammed up. "Now on your knees!" He ordered and I found myself doing as he said. "Already, you're doing as you're told like a good little soldier." Gradana smiled.. "And you have no choice but to do exactly as I say."

"N...No, sir, you can't make me do this!" I protested. "This is not right." By all rights I should be resisting, mopping the floor with these perverts, but for some reason, I just can't bring myself to fight back...

* * *

_**(Returning to the roof of Saleam's Pad, Present time)**_

I continued to tell them what Gradana, Louis, Derick and Hatchette when he later joined that evening did to me, took away my purity, ended my career as a knight, essentially ruined my life …

"...And that's how I went from a perfectly good virgin noble and Imperial Knight to the sex-addicted, monster drool chugging(ugh), pathetic jerkass slut you found that night in the Red Light District, Yuri." I finished. "What I just told you happened ten months ago. Ugh, the things I did between then and that night...My brain need a shower... And I so want to cry...sniffle..." Especially over the fact that Oliver was killed for trying to free me form this evil madness.

"Ojou-sama... That must have been so...horrible..." Hanna squeezed my hands.

"Man, and I thought our first time was bad..." Natalie added. "But in our case it was just one person... I swear one of these days I'm so gonna knock his teeth out with a sledgehammer for deflowering us. Grrrr!" She shook her fist.

"That aside, I couldn't believe that Hatchette did to you." Yuri expressed his own concern. "He always was a bit of a womanizer, but never this, For him to do something like that..."

"Looking back, I couldn't believe it myself too." I replied. "But take my word for it, somehow, Gradana got to him, I don't know if he used that damn drug on him or not, But until we know for sure, consider him our enemy."

I never thought I would hear myself say this, but I had to accept that fact, painful as it was, Hatchette Gachot is no longer my friend.

"I'm afraid I'll have to agree, Julia. Damn." Yuri grimaced. I can't blame him, he feels like he lost a friend, a feeling that I share. "If it wasn't for Gradana and the Royal Guard... I swear, I'm gonna kill him..."

"Get in line, Yuri." I replied. "I call dibs on him first."

"Okay... You two are scaring us." Natalie commented.

"And while I cannot blame you two for wishing this person(Gradana) grievous harm, it isn't wise to go after him hot headed, lest you lose your own lives in the process." Jilan warned. "I suggest that he be exposed for his misdeeds, that suffering that will result will be worse for him than death."

"Good advice, Jilan," Yuri replied. "I guess we could cool down a bit and try that first, and if it doesn't work..."

"We could always ambush him, and stab him in the head." I finished.

"The head...?" Yuri, Jilan and the schoolgirls asked.

"Well, an asshole like Gradana probably doesn't have a heart." I explained. "Well I suppose I should do some more practicing, get myself back into shape."

"Yeah, and I think I have some deliveries to do as well." Yuri said. "I suppose in the next few days, we should figure out how to get Gradana." And Yuri went downstairs and I started practicing my knife fighting skills. I wonder where should we start in bringing that asshole down...

* * *

_**(End Part 5)**_

_**Author's Notes:**_

_**Aaand there we go, Julia's backstory chapter.**_

_**Julia's comment about dark-skins reflects on the fact that quite a few of the rule34 fan-artists and doujinshi artists use them in their...'works'(Valssu's Mangetsu Santan series is no exception). What is it with rule 34 and dark-skins I'll never know, but I could imagine that this can lead to some unfortunate implications down the line.**_

_**Next chapter, Flynn and Jurgis do some investigating.**_


	6. Assault Inquiry

_**Part 6. Assault Inquiry**_

* * *

_**(The Noble Quarter, archduke Kyle's estate, a few days following Part 5)**_

_**(Flynn's point of view)**_

Well, I'm Finally wearing blue armor and captain Jurgis has got his own distinctive commander's armor, and no sooner have we got suited out, we were given our first assignment. We were to participate in an investigation of an assault on one of the nobles that happened just last week. Accompanying us was the captain of the brigade that usually patrols the Noble Quarter, Alexander von Cumore (though most of us just call him Cumore) and one of his knights, a freckle-faced redhead named Wesley DuBellette.

"I still don't see why I have to work with this...riff-raff, Jurgis." Sir Cumore sneered, pointing at me. "We could easily handle this investigation ourselves."

"Well, Cumore, the briefing I was given states that the person that assaulted him hails from the Lower Quarter. Sir Jurgis replied. "And my brigade is to be assigned to patrol the Lower Quarter and later the southern plains surrounding Zaphias."

"The attacker was from the Lower Quarter? UGH! How disgusting!" Sir Cumore's face winced in disgust. "I wouldn't be caught dead down there. Well I do suppose that's why our esteemed commandant assigned you to this case, so I wouldn't have to dirty my finely manicured hands by going down to that filthy filthy place...Ugh...Just thinking about it make me sick to my stomach." Well, let's just say it took all my strength to keep from punching sir Cumore in the face. If it had been Yuri... well let's just say sir Cumore would end up in the market for dentures to say the least...Heh heh heh.

Before long we arrived at the estate. Sir Cumore knocked on the door, it opened and a maid appeared. "Are you the ones here to see master Kyle?" She asked.

"Yes we are." Sir Cumore replied. "We are here to see archduke Kyle of Nordopolica to inquire about an assault upon his esteemed person last night. May we enter?"

"You may. My master is expecting you." The maid bowed and led us inside. She led us to a room where I saw this middle aged dark-skinned noble lying down on the couch, being tended to by a couple of his servants. One of them had placed an ice pack on the archduke's lower regions. Something tells me that the assault in question involves someone's foot colliding with his...private parts, ouch. I could see that the archduke was in as lot of pain, once again...ouch. "Master..." The maid bowed to the archduke. "These knights are here to ask about the assault you suffered last week."

"Ah, thank you for bringing them here." Archduke Kyle replied. "You are dismissed, I wish to speak to these men in private."

"Yes, My lord." The servants bowed and left the room.

Archduke Kyle sits up, his face showing great discomfort. "Sir Cumore, how nice to see you in my humble home away from home, hope you don't mind if I don't get up." he greeted sir Cumore. "And may I ask who are these people." He points at Sir Jurgis and myself. "They don't look like part of your brigade."

"Greeting, archduke. I'm Jurgis Vytautas, captain of the newly formed Jurgis Brigade." Sir Jurgis saluted. "And this is my second, sergeant Flynn Scifo." He introduces me and I bow. "My brigade will be assigned to control things in the lower Quarter so we'll be helping with the investigation.

"And I am Kyle Nicolas, archduke of Nordopolica, but for now merely address me as archduke." The archduke replied.

"So can you tell us what happened?" Sir Cumore asked.

It was a short while before archduke Kyle answered. "Very well, last week, I was enjoying the company of one of Gradana's mistresses, making her one of my fawns along with some of my employees that work at one of my stockyards here in Zaphias when this...hooligan with long dark hair..." Don't tell me it's Yuri he's talking about... "...accompanied by this blue dog..." Don't tell me that's Repede... "...Did viciously attack my men, beating them with what looked like a sword, and that dog of his bit one of my men on the arm and attacked several others."

"This person, did he kill any of those men?" Sir Jurgis asked.

"No, he didn't, but he did beat them up quite fiercely." Archduke Kyle replied. "But even is he did kill them, it's nothing compared to what he did to my person."

"So what did this Lower Quarter lout do to you, your excellency?" Sir Cumore asked.

It was a few seconds before archduke Kyle answered. "That awful ruffian kicked me in my privates causing me to scream in pain." He takes the bag of ice off his crotch, showing his still injured, private parts. Ugh, I really didn't need to see that! My brain need a shower!

"Look what he did to me, the healer said it'll take four weeks or so before the swelling goes down, it even hurts just to pee." You should be lucky you can at least still take a piss, archduke. Well that's what I wanted to say. But jeez, just how hard was it kicked?

"But my healer says I should make a full recovery..." Archduke Kyle place the bag of ice back over his crotch. "...But I fear It'll be a while before I can make any woman I desire my fawn again if you know what I mean."

"I was wondering, your grace, did you perchance, catch the name of your attacker?" sir Cumore inquired, I have a bad feeling I know the answer.

And after a few seconds of thinking... "...I believe so, sir Cumore, My foreman, Eric Onkos..." Or as Yuri likes to call him 'Bulky'. "...Address that man as Yuri." Archduke Kyle answered...sigh... I knew it, It just had to be Yuri.

"Yuri Lowell, I should have known..." Sir Jurgis shook his head.

"You know this lout, Jurgis?" Sir Cumore asked.

"We were in the same brigade under the command of Niren Fedrock a few months ago, Cumore." Sir Jurgis replied.

"There's something else I should mention..." Archduke Kyle interrupted. "I've reason to suspect that this Yuri person might have stolen some property, namely sir Gradana's mistress and possibly two Yurzorean mistress belonging to kōshaku (duke) Kitano Masaji. I believe they will reward you quite handsomely for their return."

"Thank you for your cooperation, your excellency." sir Cumore bowed. "We'll see to it that this hooligan is brought to justice and punished accordingly."

"Very well, sir Cumore, let me know when his sentence is carried out so I could watch, good hunting." As we turn to leave I could hear archduke Kyle ringing a bell summing his servants back to him. "Attend me my servants...And bring me another bag of ice... Ooooh..."

_**XXX**_

We finally step back outside and head back to the carriage. Both sir Jurgis and sir Cumore get inside, while Me and Wesley climb up on top. I take the reins and put the carriage in motion, heading back to the Royal Quarter. "So let me get this straight, Flynn, our old friend Yuri beats up a bunch of johns, kicks some noble in the nads and probably made off with Gradana's and some foreign guy's bitches and is, no doubt probably doing 'em right now." Wesley said. "Wish it was me doing the screwing, I hear those Yurzorean broads have some hot damn bods on 'em."

"Well, that's basically the gist of it, Wesley." I replied, Like Yuri, I knew Wesley from growing up in the Lower Quarter, and later at the academy. I find that while Yuri tries to look out for other people's well being, and getting into trouble, dragging me along for the ride, Wesley more interested in looking out for number one, namely himself. Me? I'm more of a big-picture guy, what can I say. "But I admit it's kinda strange of Yuri to do something like this, not without a good reason."

"What do you mean by strange, Flynn?" Wesley asked. "It's just like a dude from the Lower Quarter to wanna steal some tail, besides it's probably high time that dude popped his cherry, heck if you ask nicely, he might lend 'em to you so you can get that cherry of yours popped too, Ku ku ku..."

"Sheesh, get your mind outta the gutter, Wesley." I retorted. "And as for it being strange, Yuri never bothers with prostitutes, due to the fact that as a rule, most of them chose that lifestyle out of desperation, sad to say. What would possess him to take those three...? And no, Wesley I doubt it's so he can screw them himself..."

"But you gotta admit, Flynn, Don't you find it strange that Yuri was even in the Red Light district to begin with?" Wesley inquired as he passed through the gateway connecting the Noble and Royal Quarters.

"Sometimes he has to cut through that district if he's running behind schedule in order to make up time, Wesley." I replied. "Anyway looks like we're here." I brought the carriage into the park and sir Jurgis and sir Cumore stepped out.

"We'll be reporting our findings to commandant Alexei, Flynn." Sir Jurgis said. In the meantime, you might as well unbridle the horses and put them in the stables."

"Yes, sir!" I saluted.

"Well I suppose I'll have my sweetie assist this...person." Sir Cumore added. "Wesley, do be a dear and help put away those smelly beasts."

"Yes, sir. Wesley saluted.

* * *

_**(The Castle Stables)**_

As we unbridled the horses from the carriage and brought them to the stables we were met by lady Estellise. "Good afternoon, Flynn." She greeted. She was dressed for her riding lessons.

"Good afternoon, lady Estellise, How was your riding lessons?" I asked.

"Oh, fine, Flynn...Who's this...?" She asked, pointing at Wesley.

"Name's Wesley DuBellette, Cumore Brigade." Wesley replied. "Wait a sec. Did you call her 'lady Estellise', Flynn? And for that matter.. that's a girl...?"

"Yep." I replied. "What you thought she was a boy with pink hair? Even though she does look like one in that tailcoat outfit."

"Hee hee hee. Flynn thought I was a boy when we first met, remember, Flynn?" Lady Estellise said.

"Yeah, and my ribs still ache every time I thing about it... in a good way. Heh heh heh." I answered.

"So you're a princess?" Wesley asked.

"That's correct, Wesley, I'm a princess." Lady Estellise answered. "Even though I'm not wearing a gown at the moment."

"And you two must still bow to her every time you see her like proper knights!" Dame Margaret ordered as walked towards us. "And keep your distance, you... you commoners."

"Nice to see you too, dame Margaret." I nonchalantly replied. "Oh and nice outfit." I commented on the fact that she was finally wearing a dress with a shorter(mid-calf length) skirt and easy to clean boots, but it's also easy to see that she was blushing with slight embarrassment.

"I beg to differ, Scifo, I feel so...improper in this dress" Dame Margaret replied, pressing her fingers together, her face getting redder by the second. "I mean look at this skirt, it's showing off my legs...I feel so...n-n-naked! Don't look at mee! I look like a Lower Quarter hussy!" She tries to cover herself, her face completely red.

"Come on, dame Margaret, you look wonderful." Lady Estellise said to reassure her. "Besides must noble ladies wear mid calf length skirts whenever they go outside (something I wish I could do)."

"I look wonderful? This coming from a young lady that's wearing… 8shudder*...trousers that show off the very shape of her legs." Dame Margaret remarked, shuddering slightly. "How scandalous!"

"I'm sure you'll get used to wearing a shorter skirt, Dame Margaret." Lady Estellise said. "Besides, believe it or not, when they first got me wearing trousers, I felt just as embarrassed and uncute, but after a while I got used to wearing them."

"I suppose so. Lady Estellise." Dame Margaret replied. "If you can get used to it, so can I." Dame Margaret regains her dignified composure.

Lady Estellise turns her attention to me. "So, Flynn, before dame Margaret escorts me away for my etiquette lessons, what were you doing this afternoon?"

"We were over to archduke Kyle's estate investigating an attack on his person that happened last night." I replied. "I'm not sure how to put this but...well... I believe that my old friend Yuri attacked the... um... delicate parts between the archduke's legs with his foot." I explained, trying to keep from getting too offensive.

"Oh my..." Lady Estellise blushed hand up to mouth. "So you're saying that Yuri kicked the archduke's...um... genitals? That must have been painful."

"Well yeah, lady Estellise." I corrected.

"Ouch." Lady Estellise said.

"And don't forget to mention that Yuri made off with three girls that the archduke was with and is probably introducing his own cock to their pussys." Wesley added. Oh really! Dame Margaret's face, not surprisingly, was white with shock, but lady Estellise...

...She has yet to learn the street slang for certain body parts or actions."Yuri owns a rooster, Wesley?" Lady Estellise asked, tilting her head slightly. "And those three girls own cats? How adorable! I like cats." So she doesn't know what Wesley really meant. Textbook little naive noble, as Yuri would say...

Anyway better defuse the situation before dame Margaret flips out. "Dame Margaret, I believe you came here to take lady Estellise to her etiquette lessons, right?" I asked her.

"Um... Yes, Scifo." Dame Margaret replied. "Please come with me, lady Estellise, Time to get you out of those...*shudder*... revealing trousers and into a proper gown."

"Guess I'll see you later, Flynn." Lady Estellise bowed to us and started to follow dame Margaret. "Um, dame Margaret, you might want to watch your...Um, never mind." Guess what dame Margaret just stepped in.

"Oh EWWW! Horse excrement! How disgusting! This is why I didn't want to come out here! EW EW EW EW EW EWW!" She stepped in that.

"Calm down, dame Margaret, here...let me show you how to get that stuff off..." Lady Estellise said as they went out of sight and earshot.

I grabbed Wesley by the chest-plate and pushed him back first into the wall. "OW! Hey! What the fuck gives, Flynn!

"Wesley, I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't talk about sex around lady Estellise, she's too young and naive to know about it yet!" I snarled.

"Alright alright, I get it, Flynn. Just let me go okay." Wesley replied so I let him go "But you realize that someday she's gonna know...and when that day comes...ku ku ku.. I plan to show her I can be just as...'noble'... as that jerk Cumore... Ku ku ku."

I just gave him a very hard stare. "Don't you dare go there, Wesley." I threatened. "Should I find out, I'll be very angry." I grabbed him by the chest-plate again and pulled him close to my face. "Believe me you don't want to see me angry." I let him go in a way that causes him to land on his butt.

"Okay okay chill out, Flynn." Wesley replied, getting up on his feet.

"And let me remind you of something else, DuBellette..." I warned. "Lady Estellise is an imperial candidate, backed by the council, should they learn that someone were to violate her, and they have ways of knowing... well what they would do would have made the clobbering I would have done look like a massage by comparison. So for your own safety, don't screw her."

"Yeah yeah, fine, I'll keep my cock in my pants around your precious princess, okay? Jeez! You're such a fucking boy-scout! I'm outta here." Wesley then storms off muttering under his breath. Why do I get the feeling my warning didn't stick. I finish tidying up the horse-gear and head over to the dining hall...

* * *

_**(The Dining Hall, early evening)**_

I sat down and ordered a meal of fried chicken and chips with some sarsaparilla to wash it down when sir Jurgis, this time accompanied by the captain of the royal guard, Gradana Stafford along with Hatchette(I hadn't seen him in ten months) and the twins(I hadn't seen them in weeks) entered. Sirs Jurgis and Gradana sat down at a table not far from us and were discussing some things while Hatchette and the twins sat down next to me. "Hey, Hatchette, Hisca, Chastel, long time, so see" I greeted.

"Oh, hi, Flynn, um...how's it going...?" Hatchette asked.

"Reasonably good, Hatchette." I replied. "How's life in the Royal Guard?"

"Um...Yeah...It's pretty good... A bit slow what with us being assigned to guard the two candidates and all."

"Hmm...I was wondering...How's Julia?" I asked.

It was a few seconds before Hatchette answered. "...Oh, her...? She...um...Left the knights when sir Gradana offered her a better...um...job...yeah, that's it. Changing the subject; how's Yuri...?"

"He quit the knights shortly after punching sir Gradana in the mouth after he(sir Gradana) said some bad things about sir Niren after his death." I replied.

"I remember. He was running around Shizontonia looking for a healer to get a 'loose tooth' fixed." Hatchette said.

"You know...I'm kinda curious, Hatchette, I know that the Royal Guard only takes recruits from noble families, but last I heard, Aiheap wasn't a noble family." I commented on the Aiheaps, who were now both wearing red and black bishop armor. "So what made sir Gradana want the twins?"

Hatchette nervously looks left and right for a few seconds before answering "...Um... It's an experiment actually. We want to... um... compare non-nobles to nobles. They'll be in our unit for the next few months." That's pretty much what sir Jurgis told me the other when we were getting fitted with our new armor. But the way that Hatchette gave his answers makes me think that there's something going on here.

I then decided to talk to the twins, starting with Chastel. "Well, Chastel, you and Hisca look good in that armor." I complemented. "it's hard to believe that you two managed to get invited into the Royal Guard, what with your status and all."

"Um...Yeah...Me too, Flynn." Chastel replied, rubbing her hand behind her head. "Hard to believe, huh?"

Hisca clutches her stomach. "Oooh...Chastel...I don't feel so good..."

"You okay, Hisca?" I asked.

"I think so, Flynn." She replied. We were accompanying sir Gradana when we visited lord Ragou's estate yesterday. He had duke Kitano of Yurzorea over and was serving Yurzorean food in honor of his visit... ugh... must've been something I ate... oh, man, my...stomach feels like crap...Nuu..."

"You should probably visit the infirmary then, Hisca." I suggested. "Seems that Yurzorean cuisine doesn't quite agree with you."

"Yeah, that might be a good idea, Flynn." Hisca replied.

Now at this point I noticed that there was something...strange about them. They seem to be a bit...uncomfortable talking to me for some reason. "So how's the Royal Guard Treating you two?" I asked the twins.

"Uh...Um... It's great, Flynn... yeah...Really great. Best thing that's happened to us...Yeah, that's it." Chastel answered.

"Uh..yeah, Flynn... They give us lots of things to do..." Hisca added.

"Like..." I asked.

"Like all kinds of important things, Flynn." Chastel nervously answered.

"It's... um..It's like they're making us have sex with them if that's what you're thinking, Flynn... Ooh, my stomach..." Hisca added.

"I see, It would be quite a serious scandal if that were the case." I said.

"Um...yeah...It probably would be, Flynn." Hatchette replied, looking as his captain as he and Jurgis walked over.

"If you three are done chit-chatting with sergeant Scifo, would you please come with me?" Sir Gradana said. "We need to make preparations for tomorrow."

"Yes, Sir!" The twins and Hatchette Saluted and followed sir Gradana out of the dining hall.

Then, sir Jurgis sat down across from me, a worried look on his face. "Flynn, I'm sorry."

"Captain, don't tell me..." I said.

"I'm afraid you'll have to arrest Yuri Lowell for the crime of assaulting a noble tomorrow." Sir Jurgis told me, shaking his head. "You'll be accompanying captain Gradana as he makes his arrest while I go and get the rest of the recruits for my brigade."

* * *

_**(Royal Guard HQ, Standard point of view)**_

Gradana was feeling rather pleased with himself. "Guhihihi, finally I can have that damn punk arrested for busting me in the jaw three months ago." He was definitely looking forward to arresting Yuri and locking him away for a good one hundred years... or have him executed... which also seems like a good idea...

"I thought we were gonna arrest him for assaulting that archduke the other night." Hatchette replied.

"Oh yeah...that too..." Gradana said just as Louis, Derick and Reginald entered. Along with Hisca and Chastel.

"Um...Sir Gradana..."

"What is it, Hatchette?" Gradana replied.

"Something tells me that Hisca might not be up to this... Sir." Hatchette said with some concern.

"Really, Hatchette? Are you showing some concern for our chattel?" Gradana asked. The other three cronies just laugh. "How unusual of you. You certainly didn't show any such concern the other day. Nor did you show any concern when you did Julia ten months ago. Besides, do you know how you felt when you did those deeds? And how do you feel now...? Eh...?" For a few seconds, Hatchette didn't answer. "Tell us."

"I...I...It feels like… I'm tingling like crazy... not to mention...my head feels kinda hot, sir." Hatchette answered. "Why do you... Oh, shit... Don't tell me..."

"...That we slipped Tentacle Syrup in your beer before I had you come to my office to do DuBois? Why yes we did. Guhihihi..." Gradana laughed. "We've been secretly spiking your beer for the last ten months, Hatchette. And now, you're just as horny as us. Guhihihi."

"What have you done...My god...what have I done...?" Hatchette was in shock, both from realizing that Gradana had been drugging him, making him horny and from the fact that he was enjoying it all. He collapses to his knees.

"You know full well you enjoyed the taste of sex, Hatchette." Louis hissed, as Derick lifted the young knight back on his feet. "Like the drug, it's very addicting, Of course we don't need the drug, we're already horny nobles to begin with."

"You tell him, Louis." Derick said. "As noblemen, it's our gods given right to dominate the weaker sex. But we knew that you couldn't bring yourself to hump Julia, so we gave you some...help so to speak."

"And while the drug makes you horny, it tends to make you rather open to suggestion and is very addictive, so we mostly use it on our slaves and our more... reluctant noblemen under my command." Gradana gloated. "And to think I had once threatened to have you dishonorably discharged if you didn't do the deed."

"Take away my dream or make me give up my own virginity, that's not a fair choice, Gradana... not then and not now..." Hatchette replied.

"Well life certainly ain't fair, my dear Hatchette." Gradana replied. "So you might as well feel good as possible."

"Just wait til commandant Alexei hears about this." Hatchette warned.

"Guhihi...I'd like to see you try, Hatchette, What do you plan to tell him...? That you started taking drugs ten months ago and you were making out with my female knights...?" Gradana smiled at Hatchette "That our female knights were taking drugs as well...? No doubt that our esteemed commandant will order drug tests and you and our female knights will no doubt turn out positive. I should remind you the penalty for using drugs is immediate dishonorable discharge for you and all the female knights that we're using, and a criminal record that'll hound you all for the rest of your natural lives."

"But I'll tell commandant Alexei that you were the ones that used the drugs on us." Hatchette said.

"Don't be so confident, Hatchette." Gradana sneered. "Let's just say we have ways to come out blameless, not to mention many of the judges here are practically in our back pockets." He pauses for a moment to let it sink in. "Think of your family, Hatchette. We'll make sure you'll stay in the knights as long as you act like a proper nobleman. So what's it gonna be...?"

Hatchette, now realizing that he's backed into a proverbial corner with no foreseeable way out without bringing disgrace to his family name, nor completely ruining the lives of the female knights in the Royal Guard. And the tingling and dizziness getting stronger seeing that the twins are now … ready. "I'll...do Hisca first."

"Good boy." Gradana pats Hatchette on the shoulder. "Now you know where your priorities stand, guhihihi... Continue to serve me well. Meanwhile... come here, Chastel..." It doesn't take a genius to know what happened next. But it now apparent to Hatchette that the twins and earlier Julia aren't the only...scattered flowers in the Royal guard. And tomorrow... He has to go and arrest Yuri Lowell...

* * *

_**(End Part 6)**_

_**Author's Notes:**_

_**I mentioned waaay back in chapter one that I would provide a reason for Hatchette's behavior, after a bit of thinking and in keeping with the theme of it being based on Valssu's TOV doujinshis, I decided that Gradana was secretly drugging Hatchette in order to make him act like his(Granada) idea of a nobleman, sheesh.**_

_**Next chapter, Yuri(and maybe a few others) find themselves in some hot water.**_


	7. Arrest That Man

**_Part 7. Arrest That Man!_**

* * *

**_(The Public Quarter, Shopping Plaza)_**

**_(Julia's point of view)_**

Well here I am back up here in the shopping plaza, this time, looking for some clothing for myself, as well as some clothes for Natalie and Hannah, who are, by the way, accompanying me as well as Ned. Yuri's somewhere else in the plaza doing a job for someone...not sure what it is...

We noticed a small crowd gathered in the clothing section an as we approached, we were met by Leblanc. "Hey what's up Leblanc." Ned greeted the Schwann Brigade sergeant. "Is someone performing another weapons demonstration?" He must've been in the crowd I drew in the other day or Yuri told him...Good grief...

"No, Ned I don't think it's knife wielding hippies practicing their moves again." Leblanc replied. "Unlike your friend here." He added pointing at me.

"You do realize it's impolite to point, sergeant Javert." I retorted. "Besides I'm here looking for some clothes for myself and those two schoolgirls here." I showed him Natalie and Hannah.

"I'm Natalie Cole." Natalie introduced herself.

"And I'm Hannah Quartze." Hannah introduced herself. "Kon'nichiwa, hajimemashite.(Hello, Nice to meet you.)" The two schoolgirls bowed.

"I'm Leblanc Javert, sergeant, Schwann Brigade, at your service." Leblanc replied. "You're Yurzoreans aren't you?" The schoolgirls nodded. "Your names don't sound Yurzorean."

"Well that's because Yuri-san suggested we change our names." Hannah explained. "In fact he's the one who suggested our first-names."

"I should have known." Leblanc shook his head.

"And I was the one to come up with their last names." I said. "Anyway what's with the crowd?"

"Dior's fashion boutique's showing off some new line of clothing." Leblanc replied.

"Dior's fashion boutique you say?" I asked.

"I did." Leblanc answered. "But it's not like a hippie like you can afford what they're selling."

"Honestly." I replied. "I'm only dressed like this because I'm staying with the Rodgos and I didn't have anything decent to wear. Since I… how do I put this… Left Gradana."

"Left Gradana?" Leblanc replied. "Wait a minute..." He looks at my face. "… You're Julia? I haven't seen you since you and Gradana went to Yurzorea. My apologizes if didn't recognize you with your new glasses and shorter hair."

"That's quite understandable, my good man." I replied, dainty placing my right hand on my chest, nose in the air. "You do have, once again, the rare honor of being in the presence of lady Julia Elizabeth DuBois. Cherished daughter of Earl sir Robert Bond DuBois and lady Catherine Anne DuBois of the noble house of DuBois." Too much? "Or I would have still been if if weren't for certain events beyond my control...sigh..."

"Certain events...?" Leblanc asked so I explained. "I see… Hard to believe that Gradana would abuse his power like that... and use illegal drugs no less."

"Especially when you consider what that drug's made from...ugh..." I said, clutching my stomach. "I'd like to take him to trial over what he did to me and ruin his life for a change, but let's face it. The Staffords are old money nobles with the best lawyers and judges in their back pockets, not to mention, I'm pretty sure I've been cast out of my family… Again."

"I see... If you want, miss DuBois, I could try to contact your family, they're currently living up north in Halure, and explain to them what really happened." Leblanc offered. "And to think I mistook you for a hippie the other day."

"Why thank you, sergeant Leblanc." I smiled. "And I suppose you could be forgiven for mistaking me for being a hippie, seeing as me and the schoolgirls are staying at the Rodgos for the time being."

"Uh, huh." Leblanc said as he went back to his patrol. We decided to push through the crowd and get to the front of it...

"Excuse me...Pardon me...EEEK! Watch your hands!" I punched that rude person in the face. "There that should teach you..." We finally made it to the front of the crowd where I saw Alphonse was about to show off the latest in fashions. I can't wait.

"Ladies and gentlemen thank you for coming and patiently waiting to see what I have for this year." Alphonse announced on his microphone blastia. "I hereby introduce to you the designs that have been made by my daughter... Here's hoping we don't get those monster rights weirdies again." That last bit got the crowd laughing. Soon, one-by-one, the models paraded down the catwalk, showing off the new fashions, they were so pretty, with their full circular mid-calf length skirts and flowery white petticoats, giving their skirts a lovely bell shape... sigh …

"Wow...They're so pretty." Hannah said, stars forming in her eyes.

"I agree, Hannah." I said, looking at those beautiful dresses...

Then all the models came back on stage. "And finally I'd like to present, and making her first ever debut on the catwalk, my daughter; Clara Laura Dior!" Alphonse announced...The curtain parted and through them walking gracefully was this gorgeous young lady with short blonde hair, teal colored eyes behind a pair of crystal half-moon glasses, and wearing a pale cotton close-fitting jacket worn over a black mid-calf circular cotton skirt. There's no mistaking her...

… "...Clara..." I sighed. I can feel myself blushing as I gazed my sapphire blue eyes upon the girl I saved… And later fell in love with.

"Lemme guess, That's the chick you volunteered for...?" Ned asked, and I nodded.

Clara took the microphone. "Merci beaucoup for coming, everybody!" She waved at the crowd. "What do you think of our latest designs?" The crowd gave ans applause. "You like them...?Oh merci! Merci beaucoup!" She smiles as she presses her gloved hands to her reddening face.

The crowd applauded some more, Clara looks so happy, And I'm so happy that she's doing good, applauding as well.

Suddenly a voice shouted from the crowd. "FUR AND LEATHER ARE MURDER!" Then several more voices joined in. "IT'S NOT CLOTHES! IT'S VIOLENCE! IT'S NOT CLOTHES! IT'S VIOLENCE! IT'S NOT CLOTHES! IT'S VIOLENCE! IT'S NOT CLOTHES! IT'S VIOLENCE! IT'S NOT CLOTHES! IT'S VIOLENCE!"

Oh good grief, you've got to be kidding me. Every time someone tries to hold a fashion show, those P.E.T.M. (People for the Ethical Treatment of Monsters) idiots show up and ruin it! And sure enough several of those wackos jump up on stage bearing signs that say 'Fur Shame!', 'Fur & Leather = Cruelty!', 'Fur&Leather Scum!', 'Dior, Leather Scum!, "It's not clothes! it's VIOLENCE!'' and a couple of them were carrying buckets of what looked like...blood!?

"You and your daughter and those models will pay for your evil torture of those helpless, innocent monsters!" One of them shouted as one of them grabbed Clara from behind and two more blocked off any attempt to stop this. "Especially your vile, evil daughter."

"What are you doing...!?" Clara protested as she struggled to get free. "KYAAAH! MY BUTT!...MY NECK!...MY CHEST! MY…! OH MON DIEU! HELP! RAPE! SOMEBODY HELP MEEE!" Her face the picture of fear as the guy holding her was dry-humping her butt and groping her breast and crotch with his other hand… and licking the back of her neck..., making her struggle and squirm while another one with the bloody bucket drew near. Where the hell's security...!? "No! NO! Keep it away from meee!"

"For your hideous crimes of the fur & leather industry, like locking those poor monsters in cramped dirty cages, skinning them alive, and beating them daily with sticks with nails and raping those defenseless monsters with said stick, all in the name of fashion..." One of those activists announced. Sheesh, where do they come up with this stuff...?

"We're going to make an example out of you, you slut by coating you in the blood of those poor monsters, then we'll rip off your clothes and beat you to within an inch of your evil repulsive life with sticks with nails in them!"

WHAT!?

"Not to mention we'll be raping you on the stage!"

DOUBLE WHAT!? That son of a bitch did not just say that!

"No! Please! NOOO!" Clara cried as she tried to get out of their crass grip. Okay! That is it! I've seen just about enough of this monster rights bullshit! Nobody does that to my girlfriend! I jump onto the catwalk, race towards Clara and place myself between Clara and that asshole with the bucket just as he flung the blood. I instinctively close my eyes, bracing myself for the impact of that red, sticky mess...sigh… Jilan's gonna kill me that's for sure. I hear the blood go SPLASH…

**_(Ten seconds later)_**

Okay, that's strange, I kinda expected to feel my entire body get hit by that red, sticky mess, but all I feel is a small splattering on my left cheek. And I could have sworn I heard someone getting punched. I open my eyes, turning my head to check on Clara, she wasn't hit, thank goodness, but her eyes were tightly closed and she was whimpering with fear Then she opens her eyes. "Huh?" then I turn to see why we weren't hit with blood to see that Yuri had stepped in between me and that nut job with the bucket, who was now flat on his back with a black eye.

"Hey, you okay, Julia?" He asked me showing that his face and the whole front of his body was stained in red...

**_(Yuri's point of view)_**

Damn...Now I know how Hisca felt. Anyway as to why I was here, I was hired By the Diors to work as security. I was mingling in the crowd when those yahoos stormed the stage and grabbed Clara. Well, considering that if I let Clara get hurt… or worse if what they said was true, Julia would never let me hear the end of it. So as I climbed up onto the stage to kick-ass, I saw Julia vault up on the stage and dash in between Clara and that jerk with the bucket. I ran up to the guy with the bucket and punched him in the face just as he flung the blood at Julia and Clara. Course my attack placed me between Julia and that asshole so I ended up getting splattered as a result. Damn, looks like Alphonse's gonna be paying me extra. "Hey, you okay, Julia?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine Yuri." She answered. "But you look like a mess, good grief."

'You wanna help me take the trash off the stage?" I asked.

"With pleasure."Julia smiled. "Take your stinking hands off her, you damn, dirty disgusting vegans!" And she immediately bashed the guy on Clara's right with her elbow to his face...And karate-kicked the woman on the left in the stomach..."Unhand her!" And she punches the jerk that was dry-humping Clara making him let go... Then she punches him a few more times, knees him in the stomach… And gives him a swift kick to the crotch..."That should teach you, you filthy disgusting perverted...thing… HUMPH!"

"AAAAUUUUGGGGH! MY BALLS! MY BAAALLLSSS!" The floored protester squealed in a high pitched voice, holding on to his crotch. He looked like he was in a lot of pain. But considering what he was doing to Clara earlier, he fucking deserved it.

"Oh, you want some too?" I said as I kneed another nutcase in the gut...Followed by a right uppercut to the jaw...

One of the female activists tried to attack Julia with a nailed club but Julia effortlessly ducks under it and hits her in the face with a right jab. Causing her to stagger back, then Julia knocks her on her ass with a kick to her stomach. "Stay down!" She ordered as I grab this guy by his shirt and toss him to to the stage... And stomp on his stomach and crotch. Boy did he squeal.

"W-Where the hell did you learn to fight like that!?" The startled leader of the activists asked trying to back away from us. "K-Keep away from me!"

We both looked at each other. "Street fighting, boxing." I started.

"The martial arts." Julia added "Plus training from the Imperial Knights." We both said.

"You may have defeated us today, but you'll never sto..." The activist started to say before we...

"SHADDUP!"...Both punched him in the face, knocking that jerk flat on his back. I stomped on his stomach, and Julia kicked him in the crotch, making him screech like a banshee being fed feet first through a wood chipping blastia.

"Anybody got some rope so we could tie 'em up for Leblanc?" I asked the crowd, and the wife of the guy who runs the rope store offered to give us some. Soon we got the rope and got those dimwits trussed up just in time for Leblanc to show up. Alphonse explained to Leblanc That I was hired to protect the models and I was able to convince Alphonse that Julia was here to help me out, which she did.

"I see, then you'll have to share your pay with her then." Alphonse told me, fair enough I suppose. I couldn't let Leblanc arrest her for fighting in public... He's got his hands full as it is with those P.E.T.M. Idiots.

So what'll those goons looking at, Yuri?"Julia asked.

"My guess, a week or so in the castle dungeon." I replied. I oughta know, I've often spent that much time there.

"Personally, after what those assholes tried to do to my girlfriend, they oughta spend a week in something more appropriate, like a dumpster."Julia replied. "Hey, Leblanc, You should make 'em spend a week in a dumpster instead of a dungeon!" She called to Leblanc as he and a few knights escorted the monster rights protesters away. "...Preferably one that is overflowing with cockroaches."

The crowd starts applauding us..."Thank you thank you..." I bowed.

"...We're here all week."Julia also bowed to the audience.

"I'm truly sorry about the interruption, folks." Alphonse said through the microphone. "But thank you for attending, our new designs will be going on sale next week." After a while the crowd dispersed except few a few nobles who stayed around to make pre-orders. And soon even they left to go about their business.

"Thank you for your help, mr. Lowell." He gives me my payment for services rendered. "Oh and don't worry about your clothes, I've arranged a dry-cleaner to clean them for you, on my funds."

"Or you could send his cleaning bill to the P.E.T.M. Marked up double, of course...Heh heh heh." Julia suggested.

"Hmmm... Not sure if that's a good idea, Julia." I replied.

"I know."Julia smiled.

"Huh? Julia? Is that You!?" Clara asked, a look of surprise on her face.

"Yes it's me, Clara."Julia replied. "Although I wish I was wearing something other than hippie attire for the occasion... Hey! Whoa! Watch the arm! Okay okay I'm coming." Clara suddenly took Julia by the arm and dragged her into the tent.

I peeked inside to see both Julia and Clara in each others arms and their faces pressed up against each other, each standing on one leg with the other foot off the ground. "(Julia & Clara) Mmm...Mm. Mmn...! Mmf... Mmn...Nuu...! Mmm...Mmn...! Nuu...! Mn... Mmmm...!"

Really...? They pick now to deep-kiss...? Guess I can't blame 'em. They haven't seen each other in nearly a year.

"Hey get a room, you two." I said to them.

"Mmn...? Puhah..." Clara parted from Julia. "Why do you think we went in here?" Clara retorted. "Honestly."

"Jeez, Yuri, Can't two lovers get any privacy these days...? Good grief."Julia added. "Still it's good to see you again, Clara."

"Wait a second, Ojou-sama..." Hanna interrupted. "You and Clara are lesbians?"

"Yes we are, Hannah..." Julia replied. "Been this way for about two years."

"It's not something we usually like to bring up because we feel that it's not a big deal." Clara added.

"Um… Yeah." Hannah replied. "Just learning that you're a homosexual...This is going to take some getting used to."

"No kidding, Hannah..." Natalie added. "It's just that you two look so… Normal..."

"Well, not every queer or bi looks like Cumore, you two." I said. "Like Julia said, a lot of 'em look reasonably normal and just want to live normal everyday lives."

"How true, Yuri." Julia said.

Clara then hugs Julia. "Oh, Julia, I was so scared!" She then lets go and clutches her upper arms. "Just thinking about that awful smelly brute licking my neck with his slimy tongue… *shudder*… Groping my body with his filthy hands...*shudder*…. And his thick… member being wedged into my butt...*shudder*…. Oh the chills going down my spine...So scary."

"It's okay, Clara, those nasty monster rights activists won't be bothering you for a good while. (If only I had brought along my rondels today)"Julia reassured. "So other that little scrap, how are things doing?"

Clara un-clutches and stops shivering. "Oh, same old, same old, coming up with new fashion designs to make today's woman look more attractive... Tea...?" Clara offers her a cup of tea.

"Of course. Thank you." The two sit down at a table to chat.

"Well I suppose I should head over to that public bath and get cleaned up before I start to stink." I said.

"Right, just make sure to send me the bill, Yuri." Alphonse said. "Just...try not to make it...too expensive, okay?"

"Oh, and while we wait for Yuri to return, let's see about getting you out of those hippie rags and into something more chic, Julia...!" Clara smiles and presses her hands together. "Ooooh this is gonna be so much fun! Making new clothes for my girlfriend...! Squee!" Well no point sticking around, I leave the tent and head over to the bath house…

**_XXX_**

...After I get washed and got my clothes cleaned, I head back to the Dior's tent. "Well, Ned, anything interesting happen?" I asked Ned.

"Surprisingly it's been rather quiet." Ned answered sounding a little bit disappointed. "I mean there's two lesbians in there right now and I don't hear any moaning. All I'm hearing is the two of them talking and that sowing machine-blastia." Heh heh heh, that's why.

I noticed Natalie and Hannah are wearing some new local clothing. "So, you two, how are the new threads?" I asked them.

"I guess they're okay, Yuri-san." Natalie answered.

"Yes, Now we're less likely to stand out." Hannah added.

"Ah, yes some of my off the rack everyday stuff." Alphonse commented. "You know I could have Clara make you something more fashionable." He offered.

"Um arigatō, Doir-san, But these are quite good for now." Hannah replied, bowing.

"Ditto." Natalie said. "Besides I don't think we can afford anything more expensive than what we're wearing now."

"I understand." Alphonse replied just as Clara came out of the tent.

"Yuri, Julia told me about what happened, and I'd like to thank you for saving her from a life of slavery." Clara said, bowing slightly.

"Hey, you're welcome, Clara." I replied. "Besides, she my friend too."

"How you, and Flynn managed that, I'll never know." Clara replied. "Anyway, I've just finished Julia's new dress, so I guess I'll have to...sigh... show her to the world. Julia, you ready?"

"But of course, Clara!"Julia's voice came from the tent.

"Show us your noble elegance, my dear." Clara posed to present her newest creation, and out gracefully walked Julia.

"As you can see, Julia is wearing a silk plumb-purple blouse with a standing(nee mandarin) collar, full sleeves and buttons going halfway down her chest. On her graceful waist, she's wearing a brown leather belt over a tan cotton waistband and a lovely maroon cotton mid-calf circular skirt with a white, ruffled petticoat/slip to give it a lovely graceful bell shape. Give it a twirl for them,"

"Certainly." Julia twirls her skirt revealing a bit of the white petticoat underneath.

Clara continues her presentation. "And last but not least her shapely legs are sporting black silk stockings and a lovely pair of brown leather low-heel ankle boots with turned down collars showing off their lighter brown interiors. A most elegant, yet practical attire for the active noblewoman."

"So how is it.,Julia?" I asked.

"What can I say, Yuri...I love it."Julia smiled pressing her gloved hands to her face. "Oh, it feels soo good to look like a lady again."

"I agree, Ojou-sama...you look so pretty!" Hannah said.

"Yeah, Hannah." Natalie said. "Ojou-sama does look very ladylike. And even more normal looking now that she's not dressed like a hippie."

"Hee hee hee...Thanks, you two."Julia smiled. "Anyway, could I have the hippie clothes, I need to return them."

"Speaking of returning, I need to head back to the Comet." I added. "I'm sure Roy and Anna have a busy schedule lined up for me today."

"I'll be seeing you later, Julia...!" Clara waved as we left the shopping plaza and headed back down to the fountain plaza...

* * *

**_(The Fountain Plaza)_**

"Well, that was a pretty interesting morning, Yuri, don't you think?"Julia asked as we approached the stairs leading to the fountain plaza.

"Sure was, Julia." I replied. "Admit it you were enjoying yourself when we were clobbering those monster rights nut jobs."

"Yeah...I suppose so, Yuri."Julia replied, smiling as she did so. "It's one thing to be a vegetarian and not wear things made from animals, but it's another when you try to force your views on other people and use violence to do so. Can't stand people like that, I'm telling you, groups like the P.E.T.M. Is the fourth most thing I simply can't abide these days."

"Oh? And what are the other three?" I asked.

Julia replied. "Starting at #3; The so called Game 'Gods' of Panem, so don't ask..." Alright I won't, when you consider what they put her through three years ago...

"#2;Rapists, they're just so absolutely evil, you just want to do really painful, nasty, unpleasant things to their genitals before ending them." I agree with you on that one, Julia. She was wrenching, clenching and twisting her hands when she was saying that. Like she was trying to rip, twist and pull something off. And it was making me feel a bit...uncomfortable.

"And at... #1; W-w-worms..*SHUDDER*..."Julia clutches her arms and shudders and trembles with revulsion and fear. "Just thinking about those h-h-horrid slimy pink slithering c-c-c-creatures sends chills down my spine...ugh..." I guess I should mention, because of what happened in the games, Julia's deathly afraid of worms.

"Hold on, Ojou-sama, you've got Vermiphobia?" Hannah asked. "That must be awful."

"Y-Y-You have no idea, Hannah."Julia replied. "So l-l-let's talk about something else, so I could stop s-s-shaking."

"Okay... so...um...How did you and Clara-san became...lovers...?" Ned asked. Hoo boy… "I mean I just found out about it today."

"Along with us." Natalie and Hannah added.

...Julia went from trembling with fear to blushing with embarrassment. I've never seen her THIS red. "… Maybe we should have just stuck with talking about my phobia...What am I saying?... sigh… Well I did ask to talk about something else."

She adjusts her glasses.

"To be honest... I'm not sure where it got started. We started out as just acquaintances that meet every time I went to her family's boutique from time to time. Then our fourth reaping came... Belius picked Clara and I suddenly found myself volunteering as tribute. And, long story short, I won. Somewhere along the way, me and Clara went from friends to lovers, not sure when but I think it was in my first year at the Imperial Knight academy. My parents weren't too pleased with it at first, but after a while they eventually accepted it."

But before we could continue, we heard some kind of commotion coming up from the fountain plaza. We ran down to see what it was. When we got there, we saw several knights clad in red armor and one wearing blue armor trying to calm down the crowd. "Please everybody, calm down!" That knight ordered. "I'm sure that this is all a misunderstanding." Wait a sec., he sounds familiar. Not to mention I saw Repede standing next to him. There's one person I know other than me that Repede will get this close to without biting...

"Flynn!" I called out. "What's going on here!?"

"Yuri!" Flynn shouted, taking off his helmet. "We've got a bit of a problem here." Then he sees Julia. "Huh!? Julia? Is that you!?"

"It's me, Flynn..." Julia replied. "Just what is going on here?"

"*woof woof*" Repede called out.

"Yeah...Just what kind of a problem involves the royal guard coming down here?" I asked.

"Yuri...I don't know how to say this but..." Flynn started to say before...

...He was interrupted by this Royal Guardsman. "Yuri George Lowell." He started, this must be bad if he using my middle name. "You are under arrest for the assault and battery of archduke Kyle Nicolas." He points at me. "As well as the theft of those two Yurzorean mistresses, Nagisa Sekitan & Honoka Sekiei, rightful property of duke Kitano Masaji of Yurzorea." He points at Natalie and Hannah.

"I don't believe this!" Natalie replied.

"Oh believe it, Nagisa." The Royal Guardsman said. "As well as the theft of Julia DuBois, personal mistress of..." He lifts up his vizor, Let's just say that both me and Julia were...surprised to say the least. "...Yours truly, Gradana Stafford, commanding officer of the Royal Guard. I've waited a long time for this, Yuri Lowell, guhihihi..." You've gotta be kidding me, I knew I was gonna run into that bowl-cut twit sooner or later but I didn't think I'd run into him now...

Before I could punch him, Gradana draws his sword and points it at me, keeping me at a distance. "Nuh uh uuh, Yuri." Gradana said waving his finger with his free hand. "I'm not taking any chances with you this time." He smiled at me showing his teeth.

"Well, I see you managed to plug up that hole I made in your mouth, you bastard." I sneered. It's just my luck I decided to leave my sword in my room earlier. "I know what you did to Julia and Hatchette..."

"What are you talking about, Yuri?" Flynn asked.

"Like drugging Julia and making her his own personal sex-slave for starters, or how about convincing Hatchette to be a fucking rapist." I accused. "Julia told me everything after I got her off that damn monster drool."

"What!? Major Gradana is this true?" Flynn asked.

"Really and who are you gonna believe, sergeant Scifo?" Gradana replied. "Me, an upstanding commander of the most prestigious Royal Guard, or this Lower Quarter trouble-making scum?" You know you should look on a mirror to see what real scum looks like, Gradana. Well that's what I wanted to say. Flynn didn't answer. "Well at least you which side of the bread gets the butter, Scifo."

"You guys said I hit a noble the other night?" I decided to ask. "What do you mean by that?" Then I saw Julia's eyes widen.

"Good grief, Yuri I just remembered!" Julia exclaimed smacking her fist on her palm. "You couldn't tell by the lack of clothing and the dark-skin the other night, but I'm afraid that bowl-cut asshole's right, That guy I was in the cowgirl position with the other night when you found me WAS indeed Kyle Nicolas, a visiting archduke from Nordopolica. I have a bad feeling that might explain the drachmas." And here I thought all nobles were fair skinned, never thought there were exceptions to the rule. Figures...

"So what the hell was an archduke doing down in the Lower Quarter, other than getting his dick stomped?" I asked. Well I pretty much know the answer.

"That's none of your concern, Lowell." Gradana snapped back. "All you should be concerned about is your own fate, which I guarantee will be most...unpleasant."

"Well than maybe it should be a concern, considering that other than humping your ex-mistress, who looks likes she wants to kick your nuts hard enough that'll you'll(hopefully)choke on 'em." I said, looking at Julia, I could see that they have her at spear point and she's giving Gradana some rather dirty looks. "He, Bulky and Baldy and the rest of those assholes were planning to commit... um Julia... what was that word again?"

"Pedophilia, Yuri."Julia replied, a look of disgust on her face. "On two fifteen year old kidnapees no less. And I think that asshole Kitano is one too, seeing that they were his slaves. I soo want to cut his dick and balls off and ram them down his throat, Grrrr..." No argument there.

I noticed Flynn walk over to one of the knights. "Hatchette, is this all true?" he asked. Wait what? Hatchette's here!?

"Whine?" went Repede.

"Well, Hatchette, you might as well confess." Gradana ordered. And sure enough, there he was when he took his helmet off.

Hatchette looks Flynn right in the eyes..."I'm...I'm afraid so, Flynn." Hatchette answered, looking down. "Sir Gradana...Drugged Julia and had her raped... He's also...drugging me...Making me a rapist on command...And the Aiheaps... so we can rape 'em." Hatchette was being drugged too…? Earlier I wanted to hate Hatchette for what he did to Julia, but now.. It just makes me want to hate that bowl-cut twit EVEN more. He drugged my friend from the academy and made him rape my other friend for crying out loud!

"Are you trying to tell me that you were drugged with Tentacle Syrup as well, Hatchette...?"Julia asked, a look of utter disbelief on her face. Hatchette nodded. "Oh...Good... Grief..."

"Wait a second, Why are you...Or rather it's Hatchette... Confessing to all this...?" I asked.

"It's so simple, even a commoner like you can understand it, Lowell." Gradana started. "Seeing as Miss DuBois will be returning to my company. I'll be inviting the archduke to my place to bear witness to both her… and your well deserved suffering... before we end you. We'll be planning to have a good time with the Yurzoreans, guhihihi."

He gives Natalie and Hannah an evil, lustful look making them both shiver.

"And as for you, mr. Scifo..." Gradana gestures to one of his men and he hits Flynn on the back of his with a blackjack, knocking him unconscious. "I fear we'll have to arrange a little accident for you. Do say hello to Finath for me guhihihi."

"GRRRRR!" Repede growled, ears flattened and hackles raised.

"You son of a bitch!" I snarled as I suddenly found myself flinging Gradana's sword with my left arm and swung at him with my right, catching him in the temple...Meanwhile Julia stepped back and to her left to get around the spears, striking the leftmost guardsman with a fast round house kick, knocking him into the others causing them to sprawl onto the ground.

I got on top of Gradana, ready to knock out the rest of his teeth when I heard a "YIPE" I looked up to see that Repede, trying to get to Flynn was struck in the left shoulder by a guy whose face I swear looked reptilian. The distraction gave Gradana a chance to fling me off. I got back on my feet when we heard...

..."No! Put my brother down! Please!" Ned cry out. In all the craziness, Ned's baby brother, Ted ran out into the plaza and this blonde guardsman grabbed him.

"Wait, Reginald, hold on to that brat for a while, I have an idea..." Gradana ordered.

"Yes, sir." Reginald replied.

"AH! Ned! He's hurting me! Ned!" Ted cried out from the pain of Reginald's tight grip.

"Alright, Lowell here's the deal, you and Julia and those Yurzoreans come along quietly oooor..." Gradana looks at Ned. "You there, what's your name, commoner."

"N...Ned, sir." Ned answered.

"Right, then..." Gradana turns back to me. "As I was saying, either you lot come quietly oooor..." he looks at Ted. "Ned will be attending his little brother's... or rather his little brother's pieces funeral guhihihi..."

Reginald draws his sword and brings it up close to Ted's face. I could see from here that Ted was completely scared. "MOMMY... HELP! DADDY... HELP! NED... HELP!" He cried out. It feel like he's being pulled down in boiling quicksand and we can't rescue him.

"Well, Lowell? What's it gonna be...?" Gradana demanded.

It was then I noticed a rather familiar face watching me from around the corner of the building, let's just say he's someone I knew growing up. "You know I could try to get to Ted before that guy kills him." I said. I know, bad idea and I could make out that guy shaking his head, he knows that's a bad idea too. "But, and I hate to say this..." I place my arms out. "...I figure it's best to come along quietly, if you let the boy go unharmed." I saw the old man nodding, I hope he knows what he's doing. Come to think of it. I hope I know what I'm doing...

"You sure about this, Yuri?"Julia asked. "I don't like the thought of losing to that asshole."

"I'm sure, Julia, that bowl-cut twit's won this battle..." I replied. "...Just this battle."

Julia nodded. She knows what I meant. "Alright Yuri, I'll play along." She puts her hands up in surrender. "Doesn't mean I have to like it, though."

"Guhihi, It's nice to know when you're whipped by your betters, Lowell." Gradana sneered. "And as promised, Reginald?"

"Yes, sir Gradana?"

"Release the brat. He's served his purpose." Gradana ordered. "We've got what we wanted."

Reginald lets little Ted go and he runs into Ned's arms crying. "WAAAAAH! NED I WAS SOO SCARED...sob sob...! I thought I was gonna die...sob sob! Let's go home already...sniffle!" He then looks at me with those big brown eyes of his. "I'm so sorry, Yuri...sob … I didn't mean to get you into this much trouble… sniffle."

"Hey, it's okay, Ted." I patted the little guy on the head. "Don't worry, we'll be back."

"You promise...?"

"We promise, Ted."Julia reassured. "Besides, I've come back from FAR worse than what that guy(Gradana) did to me, or for that matter, what he's got in that perverted mind of his."

Gradana's men cuff our hands behind our backs, geez not so tight. "That's enough chit-chat, you lot." Gradana interrupted. "Gentlemen, have them brought to my estate." His estate? I thought we were headed to the castle dungeon. I don't like the sound of this.

"Yes, sir!" The guardsmen saluted.

Gradana continued to give out orders. "Hisca, Chastel?"

"Yes, Master?" The twins replied. And judging from the way they answered, they're definitely drugged.

"Miss DuBois here reeks of commoner." Gradana waves his hand in front of face. "She is to be bathed before she is to attend supper, Oh yeah, and wash each other while you're at it."

"Yes, Master." The twins bowed.

"Oh good grief."Julia rolled her eyes. "If it isn't droit du seigneur, it's bathe me and bring me to him. Really."

"Mr. Derick, contact archduke Kyle and duke Kitano. Invite them over to my place. Inform Kyle we got the guy that stomped his genitals, and Kitano that we got the guy that stole his mistresses." Derick salutes, smiling and Gradana turn his attention to me. "I'm certain they'll enjoy the entertainment we have in store for you and Scifo, Lowell. Any last words before we take you away?"

"Ned." I called to him.

"Yeah, Yuri?"

"Repede's gonna need medical attention, have Saleam take care of him while I'm gone."

"Got it, Yuri." Ned...saluted me and Gradana's cronies started to march us away.

"Major Gradana, sir!" Hatchette saluted.

"What is it Hatchette?" Gradana asked.

"Um...something's come up. Permission to excuse myself." Hatchette requested, what's going on here...?

"Hmmm. Don't see why not, my dear Hatchette." Gradana replied. "Very well...permission...granted. Do take care of it quickly, then. You don't want to miss out to tonight's entertainment, and the party that'll follow."

"Yes, sir, thank you sir." Hatchette saluted and went back down the hill while me, Julia, and the schoolgirls were taken up hill... What's Hatchette doing...? Getting more drugs...?

* * *

**_(Standard point of view)_**

Hatchette made his way to a certain alley of a certain building, following a message that was given...or rather tossed at him in the form of a small rock wrapped in said message during the scuffle earlier.

"I know what you did, kid." said a voice behind him, almost making him jump out of his armor. "I heard everything." The voice continued as Hatchette turned around to see the source of the voice; A man with his black hair done up in some kind of ponytail, wearing a pink shirt, a belt with a large dagger tucked inside, baggy black pants and a purple Yurzorean jacket, and sporting a rather sly expression on his slightly stubbled face. Hatchette could tell that this guy is rather...fishy to say the least. "Nice ta see ya got my message, kid." The fishy man slyly smiled. "Did anyone follow ya...?"

Hatchette looked around. "Um...I don't think so."

"You sure, bogus dude?" replied another voice that made Hatchette jump...again. He turns around to see this bearded Krytian garbed in...hippie attire...? "Oops, didn't mean to startle you." The hippie turns his attention to the fishy man. "Hey there, Raven dude, got your note, brought the stuff you wanted." He gives Raven the sack.

"Aw, geez, Saleam, ya didn't have to give him my name." Raven facepalms. "Anyhoo, how's Yuri's pooch."

"Well groovy news, Repede should be okay, I fixed the stab wound in his shoulder. It was just a flesh wound, no organs punctured" Saleam answered.

"Wait a second, You're Raven?" Hatchette points at Raven. "As in Raven of Altosk?"

"Ya could say that, lieutenant Gachot." Raven replied. "I have a few other names a well, but Raven'll do for now." He fishes inside the sack and pulls out a bottle, giving it to Hatchette.… "Bottoms up..."

* * *

**_(End Part 7)_**

**_Author's Notes:_**

**_The P.E.T.M. That interferes with the fashion show are based on, unfortunately, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals(P.E.T.A.). And yeah they often tend to interrupt fashion shows before being carried off like the basket-cases they are. Oh, yeah, and they hate Nintendo for some reason._**

**_Clara's outfit is based on the Bar Dress designed by Christian Dior in 1947_**

**_Julia new outfit is essentially a more modest version(No exposed cleavage) of the default outfit worn by Jessica Albert from Dragon Quest VIII._**

**_Next chapter, Julia and the Twins find themselves in literal hot water, Yuri and Flynn are in a more figurative version, And more mischief from a man they call Raven._**


	8. Bathe Her And Bring Her To Us

_**Part 8. Bathe Her and Bring Her To Us**_

* * *

_**(The Stafford Estate, Noble Quarter, late afternoon)**_

_**(Flynn's point of view)**_

Oooh...Anybody get the number of that giganto...? That what my head feel like as I started to come to. I felt someone behind me... "Well, look who decided to wake up.." Yuri said to me as I turned my head. "How's the head? That was a pretty strong blow you took."

"You remember the morning after our graduation party, Yuri...?" I asked.

"Yeah...?"

"I wish I was feeling that...good right about now...Owww..." I commented. Damn, my head hurts. "So what happened after my lights went out...And why am I tied up...?"

"Well, I tried to knock out Gradana's teeth again, Julia kicked a couple of those guys around and... and..."

"Yuri...What's wrong...?" I asked.

"One of those bastards stabbed Repede in the shoulder with a sword when he tried to protect you, Flynn..." Yuri answered.

"Oh my gods... Is Repede..." I was fearing the worst.

"He's still alive, last I saw." Yuri replied. "I'm gonna get that snake-faced son of a bitch for that."

"Just make sure you leave some of him for me Yuri." I added.

"And as to why you're tied back to back with me, Flynn..." Yuri said. "I have a feeling that that bowl-cut asshole was planning on X-ing you out."

"I must be a bigger threat to him than I thought." I said.

"Um...care to explain, Flynn...?" Yuri asked.

"Well you know that my father was a knight, right?" I started.

"Yeah, Major Finath Scifo, Royal Guard." Yuri answered. "That meant that you were a noble prior to his death if I remember correctly."

"Um...yeah, Yuri, I was a noble, matter of fact, I think this is where I used to live." I said, looking around the room, realizing that this dining hall looked very familiar, even after seven years. "When My father died, our noble status was for a time suspended until I was to turn twenty-one, then, as my family's oldest living male, I would have inherited all this. The emperor allowed us to remain here as long as he lived, and you know how that turned out..."

"Yeah... He went up along with mount Temza." Yuri said.

"And in the immediate aftermath, my home was bought up by the Staffords, My mom and I were kicked out and we had to go live in the Public Quarter, She soon got sick and passed away soon after..." It's hard to think about the fact that in a few short months I went from being in one of the richest families in Zaphias to being so poor, we couldn't even afford a healer to ending up an orphan...

"And that's when you came to live at the Fountain Plaza and that's when we first met." Yuri said. Just then the doors opened...

...And in walked Gradana. "Well, well, welcome home, master Flynn, If your father was still among the living, and still owned this estate." He greeted me in a rather patronizing manner. Following him was a reptilian-faced knight, a knight with a black crew-cut and a knight with blonde hair like me. "Oh, where are our manners, gentlemen, do be so kind as to introduce yourselves."

The reptilian-faced knight started first. "Captain Louis DeAnguis. Son of baron DeAnguis of Nor Harbor."

Next was the knight with with the crew-cut "Captain Derick VonBurns. Son of baron VonBurns of the new town of Heliord."

Then the blonde haired knight. "Captain Reginald Loewe. Son of baron Loewe of Halure."

"And last but not least, yours truly, major Gradana Stafford, Son of earl Stafford of Torim Harbor. Commanding officer of. the Royal Guard."

"Hey, what about me?" The door opens and another knight enters. "You're not thinking of leaving me out aren't you?"

"You're late." Gradana said to the latecomer. "Take off your helmet and introduce yourself to mr. Scifo already."

"You got it." The knight removes his helmet, revealing himself to be... "Lieutenant Hatchette Gachot. Son of lord Gachot of Nor Harbor. And I feel nice and evil tonight! BWA HA HA HA!" Okay! Just what's going on with Hatchette!?

Even Gradana seemed perplexed. "Um...lieutenant...? Are you okay...?" he asked.

"I never felt better, my evilness!" Hatchette replied in a rather...hammy way to say the least."I'm looking forward to committing that special kind of EEEVIIILLL, BWA HA HA HA, once again on those helpless, nubile twins, especially on Hisca! BWA HA HA HA!"

"Hatchette, I don't understand..." I replied in shock. Hatchette walked over and gave me a kick in the gut. "Oof!" I felt the air shoot out of my lungs.

"Be silent, you pitiful commoner!" Hatchette snapped at me. "Did we give you permission to speak?"

"So earlier was all an act?" Yuri asked before Hatchette punched him in the stomach.

"I said silence, dog!" Hatchette barked. He grabs Yuri by the collar. "Why yes, it was all an act." Then he whispers something in Yuri's ear and lets go. "I should really be thanking you, my lord Gradana, with your drug, you made me see the error of my ways. What was I thinking, being a goody goody and a friends with those two..." He walks back to the table and sits down. "Hey, where's the grub, I'm hungry."

"...Um Hatchette, maybe you ought to switch to decaf..." Derick suggested.

"Well I'm not complaining..." Gradana interjected. "He's finally acting the way I wanted."

"Thanks, my commander." Hatchette smiled. Just then a butler arrives...

"Master Gradana..." The butler announced in a bored tone.

"Is my guest of honor ready yet...?" Gradana asked, is he talking about Julia...? I could have sworn I saw her earlier before I was K.O.d.

"Um... no, my lords." The butler answered, Gradana and his cronies looked a little bit disappointed. "Lady DuBois and co. is still getting clothed, however, your other guests that were invited are here." He steps to one side. "May I present first the archduke of Nordopolica, lord Kyle Nicolas and company." And then In comes archduke Kyle, sitting in a wheelchair being pushed by his servants and accompanied by two of the smelliest stockyard workers I've ever met; Eric and Stan.

"Well well if it isn't the archduke of Flatdickpolica." Yuri commented, loud enough for me to hear. "Along with Bulky and Baldy."

"Ah, welcome to my humble abode, archduke and co." Gradana greeted. "And I see you managed to get those two to take a bath...for once." Well that explains why Eric and Stan don't smell so...beastly.

"Wow, so this is what a noble's pad looks like." Stan commented, looking around in awe. "Definitely worth taking a...Ugh... bath." He shuddered when he mentioned the word 'bath'.

"No kidding, Stan." Eric added. "You're really living it up, lord Gradana." Then he notices Yuri. "Well well, lookee what we have here, what did I tell you, Yuri, didn't I mention that they'll find out about your swiping their slaves...?"

"Yeah yeah, Bulky..." Yuri replied. "And as soon as I get outta here, I'm gonna mop the floor with you jackasses."

"Hah...Dream on, Lowell." Eric replied.

And then the butler announced. "And may I present second the ambassador of Yurzorea and president of Honmatsutentou Blastia Management, Duke Kitano Masaji and his retinue." And in comes this fat middle-aged Yurzorean wearing an ornate green jacket with gold trim, white trousers, black shoes with gold cuffs, he's also wearing two emerald rings, one on each of his pudgy forefingers and a ruby ring on his left middle finger. His hairstyle was like Louis's; a black buzz-cut. And he was accompanied by what I could best describe as...well...a bunch of boot-licking lackeys. And he had a couple of near-naked girls on a leash.

"Ah, Kon'nichiwa, watashinoie e yōkoso, Kitano-dono (Good afternoon, and welcome to my hone, lord Kitano)." Gradana greeted the obese Yurzorean in his native tongue. "I see you brought us some extra...guests for the after-dinner party."

"Indeed I have, Gradana-san." Kitano answered. "You can never have too many women to humiliate and degrade to teach them their proper place I always say." He then notices us. "Ah so, Gradana-san, are those the ones that stole my concubines the other night?"

"The one with the black hair is, Kitano." Gradana replied. "The blonde one is just someone in my way so to speak, I'm planning to get rid of him before he can become a serious threat."

"Ah so." Kitano and his cronies sit down at the table.

"While I could understand your grief with that long haired punk, what exactly is your issue with mr. Scifo...?" Kyle asked.

"Oh him...?" Gradana started. "Well this estate used to belong to his father, Finath Scifo, who died during the Great War with the Entelexeia. The Emperor claimed the property but allowed his widow and his son here to remain here until he turned twenty-one, then Flynn would claim both Finath's title and land."

"But that doesn't seem to be case now, how is that?" Archduke Kyle asked.

"A good question worth a good answer." Gradana replied. "When the Emperor kicked the bucket seven years ago, I had my father buy up the estate and I kicked both Flynn and his mother out, guhihihi!" Gradana laughed at the misfortune that be brought on both me and my late mother. I strained in vain at my restraints. "I see you still remember."

"Yeah, I remember, Gradana." I replied. "I was so mad at you for kicking us out, and became even more angrier when my mother died..."

"...That you tried to challenge me to a duel at the gates to the Noble Quarter." Gradana reminisced. "I should have ended your life there and then if it weren't for the interference of Drake Dropwart..."

"...Who managed to convinced me that I was nowhere near your level and that I should wait until I came of age. He sent me to live some people he knew in the Lower Quarter." I finished.

"Were you still planning on dueling this guy?" Yuri asked.

"Actually, Yuri, after seeing how unfairly the people of the Lower Quarter were treated, I decided to forget about trying to get my ancestral home back and decided on trying to reform our system of laws." I answered. "As I told you before in Shizontonia, he's just not worth it." Though at the time, I'll admit, I wasn't sure if I was saying it to Yuri or to myself, maybe I was saying it to the both of us.

"Oh, I am so insulted, Scifo, that I should kill you right here and now seeing as you are now of age, and this time the knightly patriot isn't her to save you." Gradana threatened, pointing his sword at my throat.

"My lord, the guests of honor is here, shall I let her in...?" The butler announced.

Gradana sheaths his sword. "However... I'm going to reserve that...pleasure.. until later." He goes to sit down. "But for now I have a...guest... to attend to. You may let her in." The butler opens the door and in walks... the twins...? and... Julia...? And a couple of Yurzorean girls...? What are they wearing...? And why do they smell like...lilacs...?

* * *

_**(The estate bathing room, sometime earlier)**_

_**(Julia's point of view)**_

Well this is just great. Not only will Gradana and his cronies be having their way with us (me, the twins and the schoolgirls) later, but the shampoo his maids and the twins are using on us, as well as the water itself, is lilac-scented. I simply do not care for lilac. Reminds me of that fop, Cumore. Well, at least the water's warm... But something about these maids is bothering me; They're awfully quiet.

Not only that, they were my fellow squires back in the academy; Gabrielle Delacroix, Francine Nichols, Charlene Mackenzie, and Jeanne Coriander. I hadn't seen them since I graduated. "How can you put up with that asshole so quietly?" I asked Francine as she poured lilac-scented water down my back.

I have even more questions to ask like why are they even here? Why aren't they serving in the knights?

"Yeah, so far the only ones talking in this bath is us." Natalie added as Gabrielle washed her hair. "Hey watch the hair! I'm a human, not a horse, geez..."

Then a familiar male voice interrupted our... conversation.. "It's because the Stafford family had made those ladies into mutes..." I turned to notice that the source of that voice is that of my former friend, Hatchette. "...So they won't waste time with idle chatter." Say WHAT!? Are you telling me that bastard turned my friends into our world's version of...Avoxes? That just...barbaric! Hatchette continues to talk. "They're practically slaves... correction they ARE slaves..."

"I don't believe this!" Natalie said, as we lowered ourselves deeper into the water so that Hatchette won't see our chests. "I didn't think they do this sort of crap in Mayoccia!"

"I agree, this is intolerable." Hannah protested, also hiding her chest. "To have their tongues cut out is so...barbaric." Francine responded by sticking her tongue out, proving that they still have their tongues, but pointed at the marks on her neck indicating that instead their vocal cords have been cut, just as bad as having their tongues removed but at least it's reversible. "Correction, to have their vocal cords cut is also...barbaric."

"I'm afraid that the way it goes sometimes with some of these old money nobles." Hatchette replied. "They often feel that the law doesn't apply to them because they think it's beneath them. And that they can do whatever they want." He looks at me and the twins. "Like turning female knights into their own personal sex-slaves." He looks at the schoolgirls. "Or simply kidnapping young girls, if they're pretty, and again, making them their sex-slaves no matter how young they are." He looks at the mute maids. "A bit of advice from a former friend, Julia; don't try to escape. Sir Gradana told me to tell you that if you do, They will be killed and you will be forced to watch."

"Just as well, Hatchette." I replied, giving him a defiant stare. "I'm not planning on running, not before I put my foot up their master's ass."

Then Hatchette replied in a way even I didn't expect. "You know what... That I'd like to see." Huh? He actually wants me to clobber Gradana? Not that I'm complaining but... Huh? Why is he looking up...? "By the way... watch your head."

Huh? What does he mean by..."WHOA!" Something came down from the ceiling right in front of me. I jump back in surprise from whatever it was... which floated up to the surface to reveal itself to be... a bag...? "What's this...?' I asked as I picked it up and opened it to see that it had two bottles in it.

"Something for the twins." Hatchette answered. He noticed my rather skeptical look. "Trust me." Trust him...? Right now after what he did to me I trust him about as far as I could toss the Lord of the Plains. But out of curiosity I opened up one of the bottles and I was hit with a rather unpleasant and rather familiar smell...

...'Rotten turnips...' I said,

'Yeah, It was given to us by some Krytian hippie earlier today." Hatchette said. "There were three originally but I had to take one to clear out my own head. Damn that stuff tastes awful. YUCK!"

"So are you telling me your back to normal...?" I asked. "Though the 'normal' you as I recall was a bit of a flirtatious skirt-chaser."

"I hope so. I much rather be a skirt-chaser than what I have been for the last ten months. Gods I was such a douche-bag." Hatchette replied face-palming. "Although everything from the last ten months is all fuzzy, but I have a feeling it's all me acting like a total asshole, and I'm sorry for what I did to you." He points at the twins. "And I'm also sorry for what I did to you two, Chastel, Hisca, especially Hisca. Oh yeah, I want you two to drink those bottles, they're meant for you two."

Then a voice came from above. "Well now, So you're kind like me, huh, Hatchette." I looked up to see that our room had a skylight, which was opened, and I could make out a silhouette of a man sporting a ponytail, although I can't see much I could tell that guy was...fishy, not to mention a peeping tom... "Oh and sorry if I almost hit you there, four-eyes.. Hey, c'mon..don't cover yourselves..." Which we all did, with the exception of the twins who obediently stood up, showing him everything.

"Who the heck is that?" Natalie asked, pointing up at the skylight.

"Him? Just a 'Raven' that cured me and wants to cure the twins." Hatchette replied. He's very good at sneaking around apparently. Otherwise he wouldn't have gotten those bottles to you. I wouldn't have gotten 'em past the front gate." The way Hatchette did that quoting gesture on the word Raven tells me that's the name of that peeping tom up there.

"And as much as I like hot chicks showin' me their boobies, I'd rather they do it of their own free will, instead of being made to obey by some stupid drug." Raven (I'm sure that's his name) commented. "Hatchette, would ya be so kind to fix that?"

"Certainly, mr Raven." Hatchette replied (I knew it). "Hisca, Chastel, This is my last command to you two, drink those bottles."

"Yes, master." The twins replied, each of then took a bottle and drank down the contents. Not surprisingly, both their faces twisted from the AWFUL taste. "Aw BLEEECH! This stuff tastes as awful as it smells! GAH!" Chastel said, looking like she was about to puke. Not in the water! NOT IN THE WATER!

"No kidding, Chastel, Aw JEEZ!" Hisca added. 'Somebody get me a bucket!"

After a couple of long minutes(For a moment I thought for sure they're gonna puke, thank goodness they didn't) Their hazel eyes started to get shiny again. "Are you two okay?" I asked.

"I think so..." Chastel replied. "All of a sudden I no longer have an uncontrollable craving for sex."

"B...But our purity..." Hisca added. "Our purity was..." Then she buries her face in her hands and starts crying "… boo hoo hoo hoo hoo… And if sir Gradana finds out we're cured... The refugees from Shizontonia… boo hoo hoo hoo hoo... It'll be so horrible. Oh Niren, It feels like we failed you… sob sob..." She continues to cry, Chastel tries to comfort her, tears also running down her face and also sobbing. "… sob... Chastel… sniffle... Nuu... Uh… sob..."

"… sob... Oh... Hisca… sniffle..." Chastel cried, holding her twin sister. "Damn that Gradana, forcing us to be like this, even before using that damn drug."

"Sheesh, talk about emo." Raven said. Is he still up there? "Well can't really blame 'em." With their modesty restored the twins blush and cover themselves. "Well, guess that show's over."

"I'm sorry, but drugged or not, we have to stay, for the safety of those refugees." Chastel said.

"Huh? Why do you two have to stay with those assholes? And what does it have to do with Shizontonia?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm also interested too, so spill." Raven added, and they explained the situation to us. "I see... Looks like you two were the victims of a combination of _**Scarpia Ultimatum and Droit du Seigneur**_."

"Huh?" The twins asked. I know what those words meant, being an ex-noble and all but the twins didn't...

...So I decided to explain it to them. "Scarpia Ultimatum basically means become our… ahem…slaves or else terrible things will happen to the ones you care about, in your case, you had to become those assholes… ahem...slaves in order to insure that the refugees don't get dumped off on Nor Harbor(I can't believe they let that perverted old asshole Ragou run that place). Not sure what language it originally came from(For all I know it's probably old game 'god'). Now Droit du Seigneur is Peyoccian for 'The Lord's Right'. It's an alleged legal right that a nobleman has to take the purity of any girl he pleases. Something I'm sure we've been on the wrong end of if you know what I mean." The twins, and even the mute maids nod in agreement. The two schoolgirls, however are still virgins(And I'm going to make sure they stay that way).

"Well I suppose I'd better amscray, and report this to my superiors." Raven said. "Hatchette, you should probably head over to the dining hall and let those other two knuckleheads in on our little plan to screw Gradana over."

"Got it, mr. Raven." Hatchette replied. "Not sure how I was acting under that crap that they've been sneaking me in the last ten months... Oh well...I guess I'll just improvise." Just then another royal guardsman showed up. "Lift your visor and be recognized." Hatchette ordered. The guardsman lifts his vizor, We couldn't see his face. "Right on time mr...um..." The guardsman whispers in his ear... "Oh, right, Archibald." The guardsman nodded lowering his vizor. "Very well, I'll leave those ladies in your care. They're almost done with their bath and ready for clothing." Hatchette salutes, and Archibald returns it as Hatchette turns and leaves. Leaving us under the watchful eye of Archibald. I hear the skylight close, indicating that that fishy peeping tom, Raven has already left.

Now I remember Archibald. Let's just I was his… ahem... partner for a night or so. So I noticed that there's something...a little off about this guy that's now guarding us. "Who are you?" I asked. "I can tell you're NOT Archibald."

The guardsman looks left and right, making sure that no one else is around, and lifts up his vizor "YOU!?" The twins gasped in surprise, something tells me that they know this rather handsome looking individual standing before us.

He raises one finger to his mouth, telling us to keep it down. "So what gave me away, miss DuBois?" He asked me.

"Archibald's a southpaw." I simply replied. "You may want to remember that if you want to fool those assholes out there."

"I'll keep that in mind." 'Archibald' replies, adjusting his sword-belt so that his sword was on his right side. "Might as well introduce myself; captain Jurgis Vytautas, at your service."

"But what are you doing here, sir Jurgis?" Chastel asked. "We thought you were going to put your brigade together."

"I'll explain later, Chastel." Jurgis replied, turning his back to us so we won't feel so embarrassed. "But right now, finish your bath and get dressed, your new clothes are over there."...

...We soon finish our bath and get out to put on the clothes that those assholes supplied for us... "You've gotta be kidding me..." I said to myself as I examined what Gradana wanted me to wear. "...I thought I burned those." Apparently, Gradana wants me to wear that stupid open-top bodice over a red ankle length slit skirt again. Not to mention those high-heels. I noticed a new pair of glasses with oval lenses... wait a minute... these are my old pair! I had my initials stenciled on one of the arms. And there was a note beside them.

'I found and took the liberty of mending your old glasses, seeing as the ones you were wearing looked rather...clunky. Also I had a new outfit made for you for this occasion. They were rather expensive, but I'm sure you'll pay them off...with your body of course, guhihihi.' Not surprisingly it was signed 'Gradana Stafford, Maj. R.G., Esq.'

"Oh, man, is this what they want us to wear?" Chastel said. Her dress was a white, form fitting gown with a halterneck bodice with a v-neckline going well below her breasts to show off as much cleavage as possible, her skirt was, like mine floor length with a slit running down its left side to show off her left leg, she also had sandals a gold slave armband and earnings. Hisca's outfit was similar, only the slit in the skirt was on the opposite side. "I'm telling you these outfits scream 'ravish us'." No argument there, Chastel.

"It would appear that those people seem to have a bit of a Joshikousei fetish." Hannah commented on her and Natalie's outfits, which, apparently are their school uniforms, pressed and cleaned... and smelling of lilacs.

"What is it with them and Yurzorean school uniforms?" Natalie complained. "I'm telling you, this is just stereotyping us. Our uniform are for education, the representation of our schools, not kinky sex for crying out loud."

"I agree." Hannah replied. "What they have in mind for us and our uniforms is just...intolerable."

"Well you might as well put them on, you two, seeing as you two have the only decent clothing here." I said as we put our chosen attire on. "Besides I have a feeling you'll have a better opportunity to represent your distant school than just...kinky sex." I crack my knuckles in anticipation.

"Hai, ojou-sama." The schoolgirls replied and got dressed.

As soon as we finished dressing, Jurgis, who insisted that we call him 'Archibald' for the time being, led us out to the dining hall. To my right I could see Yuri and Flynn tied back to back on the floor. I noticed sitting at the table wearing that green shirt of his was that fat asshole, Kitano, accompanied by some of his lackeys. Don't like the way they're looking at us, especially at Natalie and Hannah.

Not to mention also at the table, dressed in their finest clothes was Hatchette, Louis, Derick, Reginald, the last male I had sex with, archduke Kyle(He looks uncomfortable...good) and Eric and Stan(Is it just me or do those two jerks smell...clean...?). And last, but not not least, the asshole that's the cause of my misery and the twins suffering, Gradana Stafford.

"Ah, Welcome to my home, miss DuBois and co. You cleaned up quite nicely." Gradana enchantéed. "I do trust you'll find your evening to be... rather enjoyable... But not as much as we, right, boys...? Guhihihi..." Really starting to hate that laugh... The rest of them laugh and chuckle rather evilly at what they have in their perverted minds planned for us...

...Good grief...

* * *

_**(End Part 8)**_

_**Author's Notes:**_

_**Well, I did promise that I'd give Hatchette a heel-face turn waaay back in chapter 1, right?**_

_**I imagine that Flynn's late father was in the Royal Guard, therefore Flynn might have been a noble prior to meeting Yuri.**_

_**Well not much else to say but next chapter promises to be a big one, with dinner and a few other interesting things.**_


	9. A Dinner At Gradana's

_**Part 9. A Dinner At Gradana's**_

* * *

_**(The Stafford Estate, Noble Quarter, late afternoon)**_

_**(Julia's point of view)**_

Well so far, this has been a rather hectic day; First I get in a fight with some monster rights ruffians that tried to do some rather unpleasant things to my girlfriend, got a nice, and rather chic outfit as a reward.

Then we got into a scuffle with some corrupt knights which led to Flynn getting K.O.d, Repede getting a rather unpleasant injury thanks to that snake-faced creep, Louis, and Ned's little brother nearly getting cut to pieces which forced both me and Yuri to surrender.

Then me, Natalie and Hannah, and the twins, Hisca and Chastel were made to have a bath in lilac-scented water(We're gonna end up smelling like Cumore, that's for sure.), and given clothing that practically screams 'ravish us'.

Oh yeah, And I ran into some old friends from the academy who all got de-voiced. 

Then Hatchette and the twins get cured of their addiction on that disgusting drug, Tentacle Syrup(Just thinking about that drug makes my stomach turn, ugh.) thanks to a rather uncouth peeping tom that goes by the name Raven. Not to mention that I learned that the twins were forced into being sex-slaves for that bowl-cut asshole and his equally asshole friends in order to protect those refugees from Shizontonia.

So like I said, this has been a rather hectic day, and as we enter the dining hall, led by a royal guardsman named 'Archibald'(that's not his real name by the way) to have 'dinner' with Gradana and his cronies, followed by...well, you know… ugh... I have a feeling that this day is going to get EVEN more hectic before things settle down.

We were made to sit down just opposite of the individuals that Gradana wants us to...service. Natalie and Hannah were placed next to their 'master' Kitano. Chastel and Hisca were given to Louis and Derick respectively. And I was made to sit next to Gradana himself. While the men were either chatting, or fondling their...partners, I noticed that Yuri and Flynn were looking away from us for some reason. It almost looks like they're planning something...I do hope they're planning something.

Suddenly I felt something grab my right breast "HYEEEEE!" I yelped in surprise as that perverted bowl-cut twit wrapped his arms around me, rudely groping my breasts and pushed me right up to him. "Unhand me, you ruffian!" I protested.

"Oh come now, Julia, Don't be like that." Gradana replied as he groped my breasts and licked the nape of my neck with his revolting, slimy tongue, EWWW!. "We both know you like this." He then sticks his tongue into my ear... Oh GROSS! I'm telling you, his tongue is every bit as slimy as those… UGH… horrid worm muttations that almost ate me alive three years ago…uuuugggghhhh_…_ Did I already mention I _**REALLY**_ hate those things…?

"Hya...! Eek...! Hah aaaah...! Eww...! Get your disgusting tongue outta my ear you pervert! EWWW!" I yelped and gasped. "And get your grabby hands off my breasts too! HAH AAAH!" Finally I managed to push myself off that pervert. "Hah...Hah...ah...Isn't it a little early for this sort of thing...?"

"They don't think so, my dear." Gradana replied. "Especially Kitano over there, Like me he likes a little foreplay before dinner."

I glanced over at Kitano And I could see that he had Hannah in his disgusting embrace and, from the look of things, forcing his fat, hideous tongue down her throat, making that poor girl shudder in revulsion. "(Kitano and Hannah)Nnh! Ng... Mmn... Hah... Huu... Nng." and feebly pounding her fists on her shoulders.

Meanwhile one of his uncouth lackeys was, like Gradana was with me. Had Natalie pressed up against him. His perverted hands groping her breasts. "Ah...Aah! Ah stop it! Aah! Aah! Ah!" Licking the back of her neck. "Eww! Eww! EWWW! EWW!" And I'm sure he's poking her butt with his rather unpleasant dick. "HYAAH! HAH EEK AAAH! STOP POKING ME, YOU BAKA!" Apparently he is.

How absolutely revolting. I could only imagine what's running through her mind right about now. "_Hanmā no tame no watashi no ōkoku, Hanmā no tame no watashi no ōkoku, Hanmā no tame no watashi no ōkoku!_ (My kingdom for a sledgehammer, My kingdom for a sledgehammer, My kingdom for a sledgehammer!)" Me, I'd give my kingdom for my rondels right about now.

Speaking of which, Gradana placed my daggers on the table in front of me. "Along with your crystal glasses, which I had mended for you, we also found these in your room at the apothecary." Gradana said. "Since we know that those hippies aren't into weapons, no doubt these are yours, correct?"

"They are, Gradana." I replied. I'll admit, I was sorely tempted to reach out for them. "Matter of fact, I brought those just the other day..."

"...With MY money." Gradana interrupted, placing my money pouch on the table. "Along with, as I recall, A new pair of round rim glasses, a haircut, and a new dress that almost made you look upper-class."

"The dress was free." I corrected. "Given to me by my… friend when Yuri and me defended her from a gang of P.E.T.M. activists."

"Your friend, huh?" Gradana replied. "Well, guhihihi, after tonight's party, Julia, We'll pay her a visit... guhihihi. Right, boys...?"

The other men replied with raucous approval and each of them described the awful, revolting, and disgustingly lewd things they had in mind for Clara that would the already awful, revolting, and disgustingly lewd things they had in their revolting, perverted minds for us seem...tame by comparison.

Did I mention how TEMPTED I am right now to grab my RAZOR-SHARP daggers...? Which Gradana was examining. "Rondel daggers huh? How quaint... OW!...And quite sharp too."

'All the better to cut your manhood off, Gradana darling.' Well that's what I'd like to say.

Gradana waves to Chastel.. "Chastel, would you be a dear and heal this...?" Which she dutifully does, pretending to be drugged. "Thank you my servant, you may return to Louis."

"Yes, Master." Chastel replied, trying to hide her contempt for both Gradana and Louis.

Gradana returns his attention to me. "I can't imagine why you would buy those type of fighting knives, Julia. A slave like you doesn't need them anyway."

"Is that what I am now to you?" I asked. "Along with the twins?"

"Correct, Julia." Gradana answered. "Be thankful I'm allowing you three the privilege to even speak." He looks at one one of the mute maids attending us, the poor girls. "For now." I don't like the sound of that. "Like you, they came from noble families and attended the imperial knight academy, and when they entered our company, we drugged them and made them...ours. And when their squeals and cries no longer satisfied us, we relieved them of their voices and made them the maids that you see before you."

"And I suppose you lied to their families that they had become promiscuous so they would be disowned and have nowhere to go." I added.

"Correct, Julia, just like we did with your family, they were so upset, they sold their property in Zaphias lock, furniture and servant to Ragou and moved north to Halure." Gradana replied.

"So far, your cries had satisfied us, way longer than those maids ever did. And if you want to keep your lovely voice, continue to satisfy us, same goes for you two, Chastel and Hisca." Oh dear… gulp... And I'm sure that the twins are also nervously gulping too.

"My lord, the appetizers, the ones that eat that is, are here." The bored butler announced. "Shall I send them in...?"

"Oh, very well, then..." Gradana replied. "So what are we starting with tonight...?"

"Blooming onions, milord." The butler replied as a cart loaded with the said hors d' oeuvre. "With a spicy Nordopolican ranch dip. A popular dish from Nordopolica with Ouzo as the side drink." They placed the plates of deep-fried onions in front of us.

"Why not try some, my dear?" Gradana offered. "You'll need the energy for later tonight."

"Why don't you go first." I replied. "How do I know the dip's not drugged."

"And how do I know that it's not poisoned, DuBois." Gradana retorted. "You may not realize this but believe it or not, we nobles have it quite rough."

Really?

"We're always looking to exploit one another's weakness to get on top." Like making me your sex-slave. "So here's the deal, either taste-test the food orrrr..." He looks at the schoolgirls. "Kitano's lackeys cut their throats."

Kitano node his approval and Natalie and Hannah are rudely grabbed from behind. "Hyah! Eeek!" Natalie and Hannah gasped as two of those lackeys held razor sharp tantō daggers to their slender throats.

"Personally I don't care if they live or die." Kitano commented. "After all in the honorable shogunate of Yurzorea, slaves like these two are a yen a dozen."

"Well, what's it gonna be...?" Gradana asked.

"Oh, alright then." So I took one of the pieces, dipped it in the dip, and put it in my mouth… Quite crunchy, but could use a little salt.

… "Well?" Gradana asked. The rest of them looked on as I slowly chewed the onion piece and then swallowed...

...And then gave my review. "The onion has a bit of a crunchy texture, could use a little salt and a bit sweet, but not too sweet, and the dip's rather spicy, not sweet, and seeing that I'm still alive..." And best of all, not getting dizzy. "I'll assume it's safe to eat."

Take my word for it, There was no sign of that vile drug in either the onions nor the dip, having spent ten months on it, I would have known the taste of it by heart.

"Well then, boys, let's tuck in then." Gradana announced. "Oh and make sure to leave a little for our...companions."

"Hey what about us, don't we, at least get a last meal?" Yuri asked.

"I...think not, Lowell." Gradana replied. "Matter of fact, we're going to torture you by eating all this good food...And NOT giving you any, Guhihihi." Yuri and Flynn just roll their eyes. Did I also mention how much I. HATE. That. laugh...?

It didn't take long for them to polish off the appetizers, leaving very little for us girls and none for the two male...guests tied up on the floor(and STILL smelling like a toilet. Note to self...Kick fat Yurzorean wearing green shirt between the legs.). While they were enjoying their first drink of the evening, I decided to ask Gradana a little...Question. "Gradana..." I started to ask before he...

...Interrupted. "That'll be 'lord' Gradana to you, DuBois, or you must call me 'Master' from now on, seeing as, like the twins and the maids, I own you, body and soul." Really. Want. To. Reach. For. My. Daggers. And. Cut. His. Balls. Off. And. Ram. All. Three. Of. Them. Up. His. Ass...

...But I decided to play along...For now... "Right then...(ugh)...Master, Why are the twins in the Royal Guard?" I know why, but I want to hear his version.

"Ah yes those two." Gradana replied. "You want to know why I have two non-nobles in the Royal Guard."

And so does 'Archibald'.

"Very well then, The first time I saw them, It was in Shizontonia, just after(looking at Yuri and Flynn) getting my tooth fixed. They were placing flowers on Niren's casket, sobbing as they did so. And I said to myself, Gotta have them. Then just a couple of weeks ago, there was a debate in the council concerning the fate of the refugees in Shizontonia."

"So what does the refugees have to do with the twins, you bastard?" Yuri asked.

"I'm getting to it." Gradana retorted. "Anyway the debate was settled in favor of Ragou's proposal of moving them to Capua Nor. Which, under Ragou's recent administration, which he does whatever he wants, like heavily taxing his people and forcing them to do heavy labor until they die, guhihihi. It sounds like a real shithole doesn't it, guhihihi. And that's where they were planning on moving those poor people to."

"My word!" I replied. I know all about this already from the twins, but hearing it from him was quite a shock. "They were planning to send those refugees to that place... with that over-privileged asshole running it into the ground...?" I still couldn't believe that the Council would agree to such a proposal.

"That's just wrong." Flynn said, his face white with shock. "Why all the way to Capua Nor? Zaphias or Halure could have just have taken them in until the barrier-blastia was repaired."

"Why we needed a labor force, Scifo." Gradana replied. "It was at that point, I came up with an Idea, I had the Twins here called up from the camp, and told them the refugees fate, and gave them a Scarpia Ultimatum; Become our...servants and I'll see if I could send the refugees sent to someplace else. I was rather surprised that the twins were virgins, which I relieved them of of course, Ah the joy of Droit Du Seigneur, Guhihihi. And you already know that the refugees went to Heliord, right? You can thank the twins for that. Guhihihi."

"You son of a bitch!" Flynn shouted, straining at the ropes. "How could you!?"

"You shoulda let me keep punching him, Flynn." Yuri commented.

"Looking back...I agree with you, Yuri." Flynn said.

"How could I, Scifo...? Because, unlike you two, I'm a noble, And I CAN!" Gradana Gloated. "Any girl I want...I get. Like the Twins, Like Julia..."

"What about this Sodia person we met a few months ago...?" I added, causing the room to go silent, uh oh. Gradana got up and slapped me quite hard across the face, almost knocking my glasses off, not to mention almost knocking me off of the chair. OWWIE! That hurts!

He then grabs me by the back of my head and pulls me face to angry face with him. "Don't you dare mention mention that Marquess's brat daughter in this house." He snarled. Forgot that he tends to get like this whenever anyone mentions Sodia Fortescue, the one girl that mentally shot him down. I ought to know...I was there...And I only just recently remembered it "OOOH!... How dare that little ginger-haired bitch be smarter than me...? Someday...Someday..."

"Well, that's hardly a gentlemanly way to treat a lady, Bowl-Head." Yuri snarked... Bowl-Head...? Well it seems appropriate, considering that silly haircut of his.

"That's none of your fucking business you punk!" Gradana snapped back. "And did you call me Bowl-Head...?"

"Really, such language." Yuri replied. "Did you kiss your mother with that mouth...?" Yuri was definitely enjoying getting under Gradana's skin.… Not to mention… That bowl-cut… thing actually has a mother?

...Which was a bit of a bad idea considering his current situation. "Oh that is it!" Gradana drew his sword. "YOU DIE NOW!"

Better defuse this. "Wait, my...Master(...ugh)..." I interrupted. "He's not worthy of staining your noble sword with his unworthy commoner blood. Besides, didn't you give that... honor to sir 'Archibald'?" That got him to calm down and sheath his weapon. Not yet, asshole, not yet.

"So you want me to stay my blade, eh?" Gradana asked.

"Yes." I replied. "And I also wish to apologize for bringing up...her name." I bowed to Gradana. "I was way out of line and I only just remembered."

Gradana finally sat down. "Oh very well then, apology accepted." He said. "But that'll mean more rougher sex for you, my dear. Need something to take out my frustration on, course I'll be pretending you're that smart-Alec daughter of marquess Fortescue of course. Never mention her name to me again, get it?"

"Got it, Master." I replied.

"Good." Gradana said...

...Just as the butler made his announcement. "If everyone is finally calmed down, and, mr. Lowell, we would appreciate it if you refrain from calling Master Gradana… ahem... Bowl-Head...(however appropriate)..., it appears that he doesn't like that, not to mention that...Fortescue girls name as well. The entrees have arrived, shall I send them in...?"

"Send them in then..." Gradana cordially replied. "So what's next on the menu...?"

"As the appetizer was part of Nordopolican cuisine, in honor of our guest, Archduke Kyle, The entree will be Yurzorean in honor of Duke Kitano." The butler answered. "Sukiyaki and Sake for the side drink." They place the plates of what looks like a soup with sliced beef, cubes of tofu, green onion, cabbage, mushrooms, and noodles in a thin broth. The aroma is quite fascinating, and, glancing over at Natalie and Hannah, I could see that their(well Natalie's anyway) mouths were almost watering.

"And of course, my dear Julia will be taking the first bite to make certain it's not poisoned." Gradana announced. Figures, guess by now I'm his taster now doesn't it...?

"Why not make us your tasters." Yuri suggested. "Getting a little hungry over here."

"And have you die from whatever poisoning that might be in the food and deny me the satisfaction of watching you lose your teeth and then your head...? Um...No." Gradana replied. "Julia, try each piece. And don't worry if you show signs of poisoning, my butler has some universal antidote ready just in case."

"Yes, Master." I sighed. I took a small piece each of the beef, tofu, green onion, cabbage, mushroom(That one was the most concern seeing as there are poisonous varieties that would kill a one ton rhino with one bite, course they usually have a bad taste to warn you beforehand. Course that's nothing compared to a certain berry found in the gods realm.), the noodles, and finally, sipped some of the broth.

"Well?" Gradana asked.

"The beef is nice and tender, The tofu has a bit of a beefy taste, no doubt from the broth, the onion is mildly sweet, the cabbage is reasonably firm, the mushroom are the right kind, seeing as I'm still talking, the noodles are a little sticky, and the broth is quite hardy." I commented. I used to do a fair amount of cooking in the academy's kitchen so I've learned a thing or two about food preparation. "So yeah, It's quite safe to eat."

"Right then, let's eat." Gradana announced, and they partook of the entree. "Make sure to save room for supper, I'm told it'll be big." Oh...? What are we(that is the men, not counting Yuri and Flynn) having for the main course...a monster...? Wouldn't that be a bit...cannibalistic...?

As they ate their entrees, Gradana was examining this bracelet... wait a second... that's Yuri's bodhi-blastia! "An interesting modification you made to your late commanding officer's bodhi-blastia, Lowell." Gradana commented. "Using a hardwood bracelet to attach it to so that you can use it without having to wear armor."

He places the bodhi-blastia down. "I've been wanting this blastia, hell I even snuck into Niren's tomb to steal it. But all I found was his old royal guard armor, His garrison armor, and a picture of his long-dead family. So I settled on his sword instead. Currently I'm having it polished to a nice mirror-like finish, it should be done in a couple weeks."

"I didn't think you's sink that low, Gradana." Flynn replied, leaving out the 'sir'. "Robbing tombs, forcing the twins into being your sex-slaves."

"Don't forget threatening to kill a little kid, Flynn." Yuri added.

"A little kid?"

"Yea, Flynn, The reason why I'm here was because I had to surrender or he would've had Ted killed." Yuri said.

"Oh gods, Is Ted..."

"He's fine, Flynn."

"Thank goodness." Flynn turned his attention back to Gradana. "How could you do all this and still call yourselves servants of the Empire?"

"Like we said before, Scifo...We...CAN! GUHIHIHI!" Gradana gloated. Flynn and Yuri just give him a cold stare. "Well, I see that our entrees are finished, So what do you think, Kitano-dono?"

"Not bad, considering that you used local ingredients." Kitano answered. "It would be even better if you substituted the beef with dolphin, killed by stabbing multiple times with short spears, and made to suffer in screaming pain for hours, their screams of agony are music to my ears, and the cruelty of their deserved demise makes the meat all the more tasty."

And I thought that asshole couldn't get any more eviler and stereotypicaler...(It's a word)... I notice Natalie and Hannah shake their heads in disapproval.

"And the sake's not bad either."

"So you like to eat dolphin, eh, Kitano." Kyle said. "Course in both my homeland of Desier and Ilyccia, killing a dolphin is considered bad luck."

"Who cares, if it lives in the sea, we eat it, Is that not our divine right as human beings?" Kitano replied. He REALLY thinks he's HUMAN…!? Not from my experience.

"Maybe so but we do have to have our standards, otherwise we're no different from the monsters in the field or the seas." Kyle commented. It's a bit weird considering who's saying it, that perverted baboon.

"As much as I enjoy this interesting debate concerning weather or not we should eat marine mammals..." That rather bored butler announced in that droning baritone voice of his. "...I'm afraid I'll have to interrupt you two to announce that the main course is now served. Shall I send it in for lady DuBois approval...?"

"You might as well." Gradana replied. He looks at Yuri and Flynn. "Time's running out you two, Especially you, Lowell, soon you'll pay for what you did to my face three months ago as well as stealing my slave here."

"Not to mention stomping on my penis as well. Do you have any idea how painful it to even pee right now...?" Kyle added.

"You should be lucky you can at least still take a piss, oh archduke of FLATDICKPOLICA." Yuri replied.

"Yuri!"

"What, Flynn?"

"I wanted to say that." Flynn said.

"There might be hope for you yet." Yuri smiled.

"Very funny, Yuri."

"Right then, bring on the main course." Gradana ordered and the chefs rolled in this rather large platter. After they placed it on the table, they removed the lid to reveal... "Wild boar, caught on the Mayoccia Plains, and it even has an apple in its mouth."

And let me tell you that is one big apple.

"You know the drill, my dear, taste it for poison...or the schoolgirls get it."

"I'm really getting tired of having a knife to my throat." Natalie said as Kitano's lackeys once again threaten their young lives.

"Me too, Nat." Hannah added.

The butler cut off a portion of the roasted monster(Apparently, I'm not to be trusted with knives, not surprising considering...) and placed it before me. I take it and put it in my mouth... "And, once again, what is your opinion, my slave." Gradana inquired. "Seeing as you haven't keeled over."

"Well me too since I expected the meat to be rather tough and...gamey." I replied.

I prefer rhinossus myself… Tastes like chicken.

"But it easy to see and taste that this has been well marinaded over a period of a week in a casket of whiskey, vinegar, lemon juice, and spices, and slow-roasted and seasoned over the course of a day, giving the otherwise tough, gamey meat a nice tender texture and a most exquisite taste. To wit, it is safe to eat."

"Well then, let us share in this bounty, boys." Gradana announced as the servants cut up the roast and gave the portions to his cronies. "Well then, what do you think we should do with those two." Gradana asks, pointing at Yuri and Flynn.

"If this were Nordopolica, I would have them fight monsters barehanded until they died, torn to pieces and consumed." Kyle answered first. "Or better yet, have them...volunteered for the game gods pleasure, course they only take one young male a year. Yeah that would do, we should 'volunteer' Yuri as punishment for his assault on our persons, lord Gradana." Oh good grief.

"Hey, Yuri, say hello to the game gods for us." Eric said, waving his hand at him as if to day 'so long, sucker'.

"Now what do you think we should do with mr. Scifo...eh...?" Kyle asked.

"If it were up to me, I'd have them both raped by a big, slimy tentacle monster(Or a really big, lustful octopus at least) while I take pictures and make a tidy profit off of it." Kitano suggested. "Interestingly enough, I happen to have fans that are into this sort of thing."

Oh GROSS! Are there really such sick people out there!? Good grief! That's just...wrong!

"Ravished by a tentacle monster? That's just...weird, sick and wrong." Stan shuddered, I hate to say that I agree with that uncouth perverted, smelly ruffian, but... I agree with that uncouth perverted, smelly ruffian. EWW! "Why not feed him to the dockyard crabs instead?"

"Unfortunately for us we currently don't have a tentacled monster to violate them with." Gradana sighed. "The chefs cooked it up last week. It was quite delicious."

"That's a shame." Kitano said.

"And besides, the next reaping is months away, I doubt we could keep them that long, they might escape, and I want them taken care of tonight." Gradana commented.

"How else can we seal their fate...?" Kyle asked.

"You see that torture rack?" Gradana points at a structure covered by a white cloth. "First we're gonna strap Yuri to it and stretch him out, then, for my viewing pleasure, we'll first give him thirty lashes across his back, knock out all of his teeth with a hammer one by one, and then, for your viewing pleasure, archduke Kyle, we're gonna mash Yuri's dick and balls with said hammer, then we'll enjoy his screams of agony for a couple minutes before we have him decapitated, Guhihihi..." Ouch.

"And, how shall we end Flynn, sir Gradana...?" Hatchette asked. "I hope it's nice and... wait for it...EEEVIIILLL BWA HA HA HA!" Good grief, Hatchette turn down the hammyness, will you!?

"You could say that, Hatchette." Gradana replied. "As I recall, Flynn, that you once challenged me to a duel, correct?" Flynn nodded. "But our duel was rather rudely interrupted by Drake, so tonight I think that I'll resume that duel. However, I'll have to give you a little...handicap." He orders his butler to bring in a helmet. "This helmet has its vizor welded shut and all its viewing slits closed so you can't see. And it'll be locked on so you can't take it off whereas I, on the other hand won't be so encumbered. With this, you don't stand a chance. Guhihihi."

"Isn't that a bit...unfair, my...master...?" I asked.

"That's the idea, Julia." Gradana sneered. "And once we're done with them and dumped their bodies in the sewer(Course I'll have to make up a lie to Jurgis about what happened), It'll be time for...dessert, and you know what's on that menu..." I know all too well, you asshole...us, girls... "Archibald, Derick, Louis, Do be so kind as to take Yuri and strap him to the torture rack. Time for the after-dinner entertainment. Guhihihi."

I said it before and I'll say it again...I REALLY hate that laugh.

* * *

_**(End Part 9)**_

_**Author's Notes:**_

_**Next chapter, Yuri faces Gradana's wrath, and Gradana's...slaves decide it's time for a new line of work(more pay, less Gradana).**_


	10. We Quit, Gradana!

_**Part 10. We Quit, Gradana!**_

* * *

_**(Gradana's Estate, Dining hall)**_

_**(Yuri's point of view)**_

Oh, great, this is gonna sting, that's for sure. Louis and Derick Cut the rope keeping me and Flynn together(we're still tied up at the wrists and ankles) and drag me over to the rack.

"Oh, man you stink, Lowell, even for a lowly commoner." Derick complained about my...smell.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have let a bunch of Yurzorean assholes take a piss on us, Derick." I replied, and got a punch in the gut as a reward. "OOF!"

"Don't you dare talk back to your superiors you smelly commoner." Louis hissed. I'm smelly? I guess you two never met Bulky and Baldy on a usual day. They untie my wrists and strap them into the leather restraints on the rack, then they untie my ankles and lash them to the bottom of the rack. Then they tighten the ropes, stretching me until I was in a spread-eagle position, unable to move. Oh yeah, they rip off my tunic and shirt, leaving me bare-chested.

"I only wish I invited Cumore and Calvin here." Gradana gloated. "They like this sort of thing."

"Shall I invite them over, my lord." The butler inquired. "Course that means that you'll have to hold off on the whipping until they arrives, probably wearing kinky leather S&M gear and a rubber ball gags." I knew that Cumore was weird but I didn't realize he was that...weird. Sheesh. Don't know about this Calvin guy though...

"Tempting, but I'm afraid we simply don't have the time to wait." Gradana replied. "Besides it'll cut in on our orgy time, you understand."

"Understood, sir." The butler bowed.

Gradana turns his attention to me. "I have you now my pretty, Guhihihi(I always wanted to say that.)." He walks over to me. "You thought you could take our slaves away from us, did you."

"Yeah, seems like a good idea at the time." I replied, adding... "...Still is, Bowl-Head."

"Don't call me that, you commoner." Gradana slaps me across the face.

"You know, I think you have less of a chance of getting away with this..." I know, I know, It's a bit cliched. "...Than you have a chance of being smarter than … Oh I don't know... that Sodia kid."

Gradana was shaking like crazy. "How...How... HOW DARE YOU MENTION THAT _**(Although this is an M rated fan-fic, I deemed it wise to not include this portion of Gradana's rant in order to preserve the ears, eyes... and sanity of the readers, Author)**_ GINGER-HAIRED BIIITTTCCCHHH!" Holy cow! Seriously, does he actually kiss his mother with THAT mouth!? Come to think of it, does he EVEN have a mother. And then he punches me in the face… Damn that hurt. But then I have been hit harder.

"You call that a punch?" I smiled back. "I've had slaps from girls that were harder than this." I said looking at Julia and the twins.

"OOOOOOOH! we'll make you scream for that, Yuri Lowell, You'll beg us to stop before we're done whipping you." Gradana threatened. "We said we'll give you thirty lashes right...?"

"Yeah, bring it." I replied.

"I simply forgot to mention it's thirty lashes each, from all six of us; starting with Louis, then Derick, then Reginald, then Hatchette, then Archibald and finally... me. That brings it to a total of... let's see... One hundred and eighty lashes, Guhihihi." Flynn and the girls all had a look of complete shock.

"One hundred and eighty lashes!?" Flynn yelped. "That's too excessive, Gradana. Even the laws don't allow for that many..."

"SHUT IT, SCIFO!" Gradana yelled back. "Or we'll do the same to you... You know that seems like a good idea, way better than that sealed up helmet." Flynn gulps as Gradana turns back to me. "So what to you think about that, Lowell...?"

I just looked him in the eye and said... "Like I said...Bring it, asshole, but don't expect me to...satisfy you."

"Oh, you'll satisfy us, Lowell..." Gradana sneered as he returned to the table to sit down. "COMMENCE...THE ENTERTAINMENT! And, oh yeah, enjoy yourselves, Guhihihi."

Louis picked up the whip and started first... I felt the whip lash across my back. YEEOW! Damn that hurt! It's like being stung by a hornet, and we have some pretty big hornets here. "How do you like your first lash, Lowell." Louis hissed.

"Is that what it was, Snake-Butt." I sneered, looking over my shoulder. "I hardly felt that." Truth be told, I did, but I wasn't gonna let 'em have the satisfaction of knowing that.

"What!? Did you just call me 'Snake-Butt'!" Louis exclaimed.

"Yeah, I did." I answered. "Seeing as your face kinda looks like one." I noticed Julia, the schoolgirls and the twins giggle at that one.

"Oh, you'll pay for that, you stinky, snarky commoner!" And Louis went at it with another twenty- nine more lashes across my back... each one more painful than the last. But all he got out of me were a few grunts. "Hey what gives...?" Louis sounded confused. "Anyone else oughta be screaming in pain, begging us to stop by now."

"A knight can endure way more pain than that, Snake-Butt." I sneered back. "Something you, Bowl-Head, and the rest of his cronies are only pretending to be."

"Oh, we'll see, who's pretending to be who, commoner." Derick said as he took the whip from Louis. "Seeing as it's now my turn."

"Make him beg, Derick, make him beg." Gradana gloated. "Hisca, Chastel look on, and the rest of you make sure all those undrugged bitches...and Flynn...Watch this. Derick, continue the punishment!"

"With pleasure, lord Gradana." Derick replied as he proceeded to "Take this!"...whip me across the back thirty times. He was just as vicious as Louis, and the whole round was just as painful. "Well how'd you like that, punk?" He asked as he wound the whip up.

"Heh heh, I think...you missed a spot, Flat-Top." I replied. "I mean, seriously, you call that a whipping...?"

"Jeez. What's with him?" Derick said, looking puzzled. "Is this guy a sadomasochist or something?" Oh, great, now I'm being compared to Cumore.

"Oh, he's just being defiant, that's all, Derick." Reginald takes the whip from Derick. "Lemme show you how I beat it outta my slaves."

"Oh, I'd like to see you try." I said. And Boy did he try, so far he was the hardest lasher I've certainly experienced, damn my back's on fire, but I wasn't about to let them having the satisfaction of knowing I was in serious pain if I could help it. "Is that it, Mop-Head? I hardly felt it."

"I...I don't understand" Reginald was surprised at how...calm I was looking. "My lashing would've made any slave beg for mercy."

"Maybe it's because I have something called...a spine, Mop-Head." I replied.

"Oh good grief." Gradana face-palmed. "This entertainment is hardly...entertaining."

"Hah...hah...Speak for yourself, asshole...hah hah" I replied between breaths. "Hah...hah...You think...hah... hah... you can do any better?...hah...hah..."

"Oh, really...?" Gradana got up and walked over to us. "I suppose I'll do just that. Hatchette, Archibald, I hope you two don't mind if I jump ahead of you two, seeing as I simply don't have the...patience to wait. Hope you understand." He takes the whip from Reginald. "Now it's my turn, you low-born punk!" He unwinds the whip and I could hear it whooshing behind me. "I will make you beg me to stop!" He lashes me across the back. After ten lashes he pauses. "Had enough, Yuri? Want me to stop? Then beg...BEG!" He demanded. "Plead me to stop."

"Hah...hah... Why do I wanna do that, you asshole." I pasted my reply. "Hah...hah... Besides...hah hah... Don't you have another twenty more to go yet...? Hah...hah..." Man, I must be nuts or something, but there's no way in Hell am I gonna give him the frigging satisfaction, even if it cost me my life(Hopefully it won't come to that.).

"Is that so...? Fine then..." Gradana resumes his whipping. ARGH! My back feels like someone poured flaming Nordopolican Fire down it. "Beg me!... BEG ME!...BEG ME, YOU FUCKING COMMONER!..." I'm telling you, he was going nut-shit with that whip. Eventually he reached his thirtieth lash. "Hah...hah...hah... What the fuck...hah...hah... is wrong with you...?" Gradana panted. "I...hadn't worked myself this hard...hah...hah... since I broke...hah...hah... the twins virginity...hah...hah... why won't you beg...? hah...hah..." He turns to Hatchette. "I...hah...hah... believe it's your turn...hah...hah..."

"Um...Okay..." Hatchette reluctantly takes the whip. Just as he was about to swing...

"STOP! PLEASE! NO MORE!" Hisca suddenly called out. "Can't you see he's had enough...!?" She gets in between Hatchette and me. "Please...sob..."

"Hisca, what are you doing!?" Chastel called out.

"What does it look like, Chastel!" Hisca replied, tears running down her face. "I'm keeping Hatchette from whipping Yuri! He won't admit it but he can't take much more of this...entertainment." And I hate to admit it but she's right. I don't know how much more of this I can take. "I'll... I'll take the remaining lashes, so please, strap me to the rack and whip me instead." Say What!? Are you sure about this, Hisca...?

"Wish I brought a camera." Kitano said. "Oh, matsu(wait), I actually did." He pulls out a camera-blastia. "Might as well strap her up."

"Wait what?" Gradana said, looking surprised. "I know that the drug I've been giving you can make a person a bit...sadomasochistic, but this is a first. Soo. You want to feel the pain of the whip, eh, Hisca?" Hisca nods. "On top of the rough sex we'll be giving you later on...?" Hisca nods. "I see, then." Gradana looks at me. "Well, seeing as Yuri's back is all covered with whip-cuts and there's no place on his back that isn't touched. Why not. Give Kitano some more pictures for his customers to fap too. Take Yuri down, strap her up!" And I was taken off the rack and I staggered away a few feet, but didn't fall. Much to the surprise to those bastards.

"Yuri are you okay?" Flynn asked as I stood there. "You look like you're in a lot of pain."

"Yeah, Flynn, I am." I answered. "Beaten, bloody, but unbowed."

"I see..." Julia replied.

"...'Out of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be, For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance, I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance, My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tear, Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years, Finds and shall find me unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul'..."

Woah that's pretty heavy, and yet it seem to fit the situation, they tried to break me, but they failed. "It's some poem I learned on my Victory Tour a few years back, Yuri, It seems quite appropriate for you."

'Thanks, Julia." I replied as Granada ordered me tied up again.

"Yes, yes, whatever." Gradana hand-waved. "Not that it matters, because soon, you'll be dead, Yuri." He reminded me of my fate as they strapped Hisca to the rack.

"Um, sir Gradana" Hatchette said. "I'm suddenly have a...craving for the drug. And shouldn't we re-drug Julia and those schoolgirls before we start whipping Hisca...?"

"Hmm...As you wish, Hatchette." Gradana smiled. "I do want you to feel good as you whip her back, and later fucking her pussy and ass." He claps his hands. "Butler!"

"Yes, my lord...?"

"Bring me my finest Chianti and six bottles of Tentacle Syrup. Chop chop and earn your pay."

"Yes. my lord." The Butler bowed. "(Actually, you're not even paying me at all.)"

"What was that?" Gradana asked.

"Nothing, my lord" The butler leaves...and returns with several large reddish bottle and six smaller white bottles.

"Wait, Gradana-san." That fat, yellow-skinned asshole, Kitano interrupted. "My fellow Super-Free associates wish to gang-rape my concubines, without the drug so their screams are genuine. Do you have a servant's washroom we could use?"

"We do." Gradana replied, as Natalie and Hannah started to shiver. "Make sure to take pictures. Guhihihi."

"KYAAAH! SOMEBODY SAVE US!" Hannah yelled as Kitano's lackeys took them away.

"WE'RE TOO CUTE TO BE RAPED!" Natalie added. "NO! NOOOOOO! HEEELLLPPP!" They yelled as they were dragged out of the dining hall. Dammit. This is starting to go south. I could even see Julia tremble with rage. She looks like she about to grab her daggers.

Gradana's butler pours the wine into thirteen glasses and then Gradana pours the monster drool into four of them(For Julia, Hisca, Chastel, and Hatchette) "Well then..." He said as he returned to the table, standing between Julia and Hatchette. "Here's to your well deserved demises, Yuri Lowell and Flynn Scifo." He raises his glass. "And the wonderful orgy that'll follow. Archibald. Do be so kind as to help Hisca drink hers." They all drink down the wine, with The exception of Archibald, who didn't bother to lift his vizor and Hisca, because... Archibald tossed the drinks to the floor. "What the...!? Archibald! Why did you... Gradana said right before...

"PUHAH!" Julia and Hatchette spat the wine they drank into his face, nearly blinding him. She grabs her daggers as Hatchette punches Gradana in the face, hitting him square on the mole, taking his sword in the process.

"PUHAH!" Chastel also spat back her wine into Louis's face as well. She quickly punches him aside and grabs his sword and my bodhi-blastia, slipping it on her wrist. All three of them rush towards us as...

"Hold still, Hisca!" Archibald draws his sword and ... cuts the straps holding her to the rack, freeing her. "Julia, cut Yuri and Flynn loose. Chastel, use that bodhi-blastia and fix Yuri's back!" He ordered. Why does he sound Familiar...?

"Got it." Julia said as as she... cut the bonds off us.

"Yes, sir." Chastel said, activating my blastia. "Hold still, Yuri, this might sting a little." As opposed to how much my back is stinging now? "Holy power come to me, FIRST AID!" A green glow surrounds me... YEEOW! My back's burning! Suddenly the pain disappears. "Oh, good the cuts are disappearing. Yuri, are you feeling any better...?"

"A bit sore, Chastel, but nowhere as bad as before you healed me, thanks." I answered.

Julia suddenly stood upright. "Oh, SHIT! Natalie and Hannah! Those two are probably being gang-raped right about now! Gotta save them!" Before we could say or do anything, Julia uses her daggers to rip away the skirt below her knees, kick off her high heels and ran out of the dining hall in the direction the two schoolgirls were dragged in.

"Hah...Hah...What the hell's going on here!?" Gradana said as Derick and Reginald helped him to his feet. "Hatchette, Archibald, what is the meaning of this betrayal...?"

"And what you had done to the twins, Gradana." Archibald replied, taking off his helmet... Huh? Well I'll be... That's certainly not Archibald(come to think of I never met the guy anyway.). Unless that's Jurgis's middle name(Though I strongly doubt that.). "And what you were going to do with Flynn and Yuri here, What was the meaning of THAT...? I'm waiting..." Jurgis faced Gradana, arms folded and foot tapping ...

"Y-You!" Gradana pointed his finger at Jurgis. "What the fuck are you doing here? You're supposed to be out recruiting..."

"Changed my mind." Jurgis replied.

"And we are putting an end to this crap." Flynn added.

"Then that'll mean...Guhihihi... That those poor refugees will be going to their original destination of Capua Nor instead."

"I don't think so, Gradana." Hatchette explained. "Once we explain it to his excellency, Alexei what's REALLY going on here, you'll be put outta business."

"And you'll go down with us, Hatchette." Reginald warned. "Or haven't you forgotten you're every bit as guilty as us."

"Yeah, I am, Reginald, but it'll be worth it to see you over-privileged assholes fall." Hatchette replied, shedding his armored tunic and tossing it to the floor. "By the way, I'm quitting the Royal Guard. Oh yeah, almost forgot; Me and the twins, we're cured of that stupid drug of yours." He flips Gradana the middle finger. "So sit on that and rotate, Bowl-Head!" Hey, I'm supposed to be the one calling him that, Hatchette.

"Um, Eric, Boss." Baldy said. "Something tells me what we're not gonna get to see Yuri and Flynn get kacked."

"No kidding, Stan. "Bulky replied. "Something tells me we need to amscray before WE get kacked."

"I'm afraid I'll have to agree with you two." Kyle said, nervously looking at me as if I was planning to stomp his dick again, which, incidentally, I'm thinking about doing. "I REALLY don't like the way that long Haired punk's looking at me."

"Then maybe you three shoulda stayed in Fla..." I replied before.

"Nordopolica!" Jurgis and Flynn...corrected me, sheesh.

"Um, Archduke Kyle, Duke, Kitano, how many bodyguards have you brought...?" Gradana asked.

Both Kyle and Kitano looked at each other and smiled before... "GUARDS, TO YOUR MASTER!" Kyle called out and several armed goons showed up.

"Gomen'nasai, but my lackeys are busy raping my concubines and no doubt Julia should she show up." Kitano shrugged. "But I believe your men should be sufficient to deal with those upstarts."

"...sigh... I suppose. Men, deal with these fools while we go get Cumore to arrest any...survivors." Kyle commanded and the goons, along with Derick, Louis and Reginald charged us.

"Yuri, catch!" Hatchette tosses me Gradana's sword.

"Here, Flynn!" Chastel gives Flynn the sword she took from Louis.

"Alright everybody." Jurgis assumes a battle-stance. "This oughta be just like fighting brigands down in Shizontonia... Let's dance!"

I duck under the swing of the first guy, sword and quickly run him through the chest, puncturing his lung. He goes down, choking on his blood. A second guy tries to avenge his buddy but I kick him in the gut, and slash him across the throat, killing him instantly.

Flynn parries several strikes from his opponent before getting an opening that allows him to mash his opponent's face with an elbow-smash, following it up with a sword-thrust to the gut, ending that goon. Then he dodged an attack from another goon's axe, and takes the axe, and the goon's forearm holding it off with a cleaving downward swing. Then he finishes him with a stab to the chest.

A couple of them try to go after the twins but Hatchette engages them, slamming into one guy with a shoulder tackle, followed up by an upward swing nearly cutting the bastard in two. Then he back-steps away from a downward swing from the second guy, taking the opportunity of his being off balance to slice his head off with a downward stroke of his own.

Jurgis sidesteps his opponent's first blow, and follows up with a slash across the back. Then spins around and takes down another goon with a well-aimed thrust to the heart, killing that bastard instantly.

"Like I said, just like fighting brigands." Jurgis commented.

"No fucking way!" Reginald gasped at how fast we mowed down Kyle's guards. "Those were some of archduke Kyle's best bodyguards."

"I'll admit, asshole, they were good..." I started.

"But we're better!" Flynn finished.

"Oh, yeah?" Derick said as he and Reginald drew their swords and Louis pick up one from one of the fallen guards. "Let's see how well you bastards fare against real knights."

I look at Flynn, Jurgis and the twins, who grab a couple of swords off the floor. "And what are we, fakes?" I said. "Bring it."

"We'd like to see you assholes try." Flynn added, assuming a fighting stance.

"Try not to chew 'em up too much, I want 'em alive." Jurgis ordered.

"Can't make any promises, Jurgis." I said, readying my weapon. "But for you, I'll try to keep from killing 'em... too much..."

I'll admit these assholes are better fighters, I'm locking horns with Reginald, Derick's engaging Flynn, and Louis's tangling with Hatchette. "Do you think you have a chance against us, you punk." Reginald said as our swords grinded against one another. "Look at you, You're barely healed from that whipping we gave you. Do you still think you can best us?"

"Well then, let's find out, Mop-Head." I replied, suddenly stepping back, throwing Reginald off balance, but he quickly recovered, and parried my blow. Okay, so this guy's good. "Not bad." I complemented. "It's clear that you're good." We traded several swings before I found an opening and took it, swinging my sword down on his sword, knocking it out of his hand, followed by a right hook to the face, knocking him on his butt. "But I'm better, wanna give up now, or do you wanna die?" I pointed my sword at his throat.

"Dammit I...I...I yield." Reginald knew that he was whipped raised his hands and got on his knees. "I never thought I'd lose... To a commoner no less, how embarrassing."

"You're a bit outta practice, Derick!" Flynn shouted as he drove Derick back towards a wall with a series of fast thrusts and swings.

"Hah...Hah... Hey... Whoa... Ease up will ya...!?" Derick gasped as his blocks became weaker and weaker.

"I guess you'd be in better shape if you fought monsters and brigands instead of stuffing your face!" Flynn replied as he swatted Derick's sword aside and kicked him in the gut, causing him to throw up all that food he was eating earlier. "Ooo what a mess!"

"Oh wonderful..." That butler said in his usually bored tone as he stoically stood on the sidelines watching the whole fight. "On top of all that blood and gore I have to clean up, now I have to clean up sir Derick's vomit. I really don't get paid enough for this, if I'm getting paid at all that is..._*sigh*_..." Damn, nothing fazes that guy.

Hatchette was still dueling with Louis, Their fight taking them close to the table. Louis pins Hatchette to the table's edge. "Had enough, traitor?" Louis sneered. "Why don't you drop your sword, and I might give you a nice quick death..."

"I have a better idea, you pervert..." Hatchette smiled reaching for a wineglass. "Why not have a drink." He flings it in Louis's face, causing him to stagger back. Hatchette then punches him in the face, making him drop his sword. At that point Chastel gets behind Louis, reaches up between his legs and.

"GYAAAAAAAAAAH!" Judging from how loud he's screaming, Chastel's got his entire manhood in a claw-hold. A very strong claw-hold. "YAAAAAH! MY MANHOOD! LET GO OF MY MANHOOD YOU BITCH! AAAAGH! THE PAIN! THE PAAAIIINNN! MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STAAAAAAAHHHHP!"

"What's the matter, Snake-Butt..." Chastel squeezed, making Louis drop to his hands and knees in agony. "...I thought you liked ex-virgins with a tight GRIP!" She squeezes even harder, Making Louis scream in a high-pitched voice, pounding his fist on the floor, tears of anguish squirting outta his eyes. "Now say uncle, or I'll rip 'em off and shove 'em up your ass."

"GHAAAH! UNCLE! UNNNCLLLEEE! PLEEEAAASSSEEE! GHAAAGH!" Louis screamed. Chastel lets go and Louis passes out from the pain.

"Thanks for the assist, Chastel." Hatchette said. "You know, I never realized that jackass had an uncle." He looks around. "By the way, anyone seen Gradana...?"

"Come to think of it, Hatchette..." I replied looking around as well. "Bulky, Baldy, that archduke with the flat dick, and that yellow asshole in the green shirt aren't here either."

"I believe I could answer that." The butler said. "They left the instant you lot started making a mess of this dining hall. No doubt, seeking sir Cumore's aid in this matter."

At that point, I realized something. "Oh, SHIT! Julia!" I shouted. I just remembered she ran off earlier to try to rescue Natalie and Hannah. I ran off in the direction she bolted followed by the rest of the knights, the butler and those maids, and the slave girls Kitano left behind.

Around the corner, we heard Bulky... "Oh, shit! She's LOOKING AT US! RUN AWAAAYYY! RUN AWAAAYYY!" He sounds terrified. We turn the corner only to see two fiery tracks, and Julia enter the hallway through a door.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU ASSHOLES!" She shouted, She was splattered in blood, and looking VERY PISSED.

"Julia, what happened!" I shouted, getting her attention. "Are you and the schoolgirls okay?"

* * *

_**(End Part 10)**_

_**Author's Notes:**_

_**The Reference to Sodia comes from the fan-fic, 'Chevalier' by fellow fan-fic writer, Aeneid. Of course there's an earlier references to it in both chapter one and three. Needless to say the word Sodia has become something of a berserk button for Gradana.**_

_**The poem Julia quotes is 'Invictus' By the poet, William Earnest Henley(1849-1903).**_

_**Kitano's guild, Super Free is based on a real world inter-university rave event club by the same name that operated out of Waseda University in Japan from 1995 to 2003. That club was infamous for their habit of getting female university students stone drunk, then gang-banging them in public restrooms while taking a ton of pictures to blackmail them into silence.**_

_**Next chapter, Julia tries to rescue the students from a Super Free tradition, And Yuri challenges Gradana to a bout of fist-o cuffs.**_


	11. Washroom Rampage

_**Part 11. Washroom Rampage, Foyer Face-Off**_

* * *

_**(Gradana's Estate, Just after Chastel heals Yuri)**_

_**(Julia's point of view)**_

I suddenly stand upright because I just remembered. "Oh, SHIT! Natalie and Hannah! Those two are probably being gang-raped right about now! Gotta save them!" Before anyone else could say or do anything, I used my daggers to rip away the skirt below my knees, kick off those high heels and ran out of the dining hall in the direction the two schoolgirls were dragged in. "NATALIE! HANNAH!" I called out as I ran down the hallway, looking for the servant's washroom.

Then I heard Yurzorean voices just around the corner. I look around the corner to see an open door and a sign above that says 'servant's washroom' I think I might have found them. As I approached the open door, I heard more voices. And when I looked in the room, what I saw next made my blood boil! There was poor Natalie cowering in the corner "No! Please! Keep away from me!" and surrounded by those assholes, who, no doubt are planning to do terrible things to her. Nearby in a corner was Hannah tied up by her wrists and ankles, and looking every bit as scared.

Rape two scared underage schoolgirls? I simply do not think so! Say hello to my eight inch rondels!

"NOT SO FAST, ASSHOLES!" I dashed in, And stabbed two of then in the lower backs.

"GAAAAAGGGHHH!" "AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!"They screamed in deserved agony as I eviscerated the both of them, ending their evil, revolting lives and sending blood and guts flying all over the place.

"How dare you!?" One of then shouted as the remaining would-be rapists drew their tantō daggers and closed and locked the door, trapping me with them. Well I suppose I got their attention.

"You'll pay for their lives, with yours, you four-eyed bitch! And then we'll rape your corpse!"

And then you'll rape my... Oh no...I do not think so. I quickly got into my fighting stance, knees bent, left dagger in front, reverse hammer grip, and spinning my right dagger behind (well I was trained by Zagi's father before he mysteriously died a few years ago).

"I'd like to see you try, you sacks of shit!" I retorted. "BRING IT! GRAAAGH!" I charged right at them like an angry lazer panther.

I ducked under the knife thrust of my next target, a rather fat slob of a person, and I stabbed him in the genitals."YAAAAGGGHHH! He fell screaming to to his knees. I immediately followed up with a slash across his belly, eviscerating the scumbag, spilling his rancid guts all over the floor… Then, to make sure I slashed his throat.

...And I wheeled around to parry the attack of another rapist. I struck him on the chest and abdomen with a rapid flurry of knife-stabs and slashes. I finished him by stabbing him where his head met his neck and drove my dagger upwards into his brain.

"DIE, BITCH!" One of them shouted, charging me from behind as I pulled my dagger out, but I effortlessly spun around his attack, and as he spun around to face me, I gave him a roundhouse kick to the head, causing him to stagger. I followed up with a slash across the belly. As his innards spilled out. "AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!" I immediately jammed both my daggers into his shoulders, grabbed his head by the base and chin, and with a sudden violent twist... I broke his neck. A most satisfying sound.

The last one looked perfectly panicked as he tried to unlock the door and escape. Looks like he realized too late that instead of trapping me, they trapped themselves. "You're next, dickhead." I said to him, making my intentions clear. There is simply no escaping my fury...

"Keep away from me, you demon bitch!" He shouted.

"Wrong choice of words, asshole!" I replied as I grabbed him by the scalp and slammed him to floor, pinning him.

"AAH! HELP! SOMEBODY, GET HER OFF! GET HER..." He yelled before I stabbed him in the abdomen ripping it open. "GHAAAARRRGGGHHH!" Then I propped him into a sitting position and... Broke his neck.

With all of them dead and thoroughly mangled I felt all that adrenaline and rage rush outta me, as I got back up. Looking around I just realized I had killed again. But for some odd reason something tells me that I did the right thing, and, unlike three years ago, their deaths aren't something I'm gonna lose sleep over. If anything, I feel rather...satisfied in my work… Is that so wrong…? (looks at slain rapists)… No… Not a long as my victims are those...things.

Then I noticed Natalie and Hannah, And I proceeded to cut Hannah's bonds,"Are you two okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine, Ojou-sama." Hannah answered, looking very shaken… Quite understandable after watching those...things… feel my wrath..

Natalie suddenly glomped me. "Oh, Ojou-sama… sob... I was so scared!… sob sob..." Natalie sobbed. "I thought I was gonna be… sob sob.. Don't leave me alone… sob… Hold me! Please!.._.sob__.._. Take me home!… sob..."

"You'll be alright, Natalie." I tried to reassure the poor girl. I could feel the tears run down my face. I hugged her.

"So much blood… sob … All those guts... I… sob... I can't stand to look at it. It's… sob... Everywhere… sob..." Natalie sobbed, looking at the rather horrific mess I made putting those...monsters down... "You killed them, didn't you, Ojou-sama. You killed them all?"

"Like rabid, mongrel dogs, Natalie." I replied. "They won't hurt you now...or anyone else ever again."

"Good, good..." Natalie agreed, smiling at me through her tears.

"Is she going to be all right, Ojou-sama...?" Hannah asked.

"I hope so." I replied, to both reassure her and me. "That was rather close."

"You're okay, Nat." Hannah hugged her friend. "It's over." She then looks at me. "We should go, Ojou-sama, soon as in now."

"Good idea." I said. "I can't wait to leave this place."

Just then the door opened. "My men, we need your... WHAT THE...!?" Kitano said In his native tongue as he looked in...and saw what I did to his...ahem… 'men'. "G-Gradana-san! W...What happened to my men...!?" He was turning greener than his shirt and looked like he was about to puke, and that happens to be the same guy that likes taking goru pictures no less.

"Oh...My...God..." Gradana stammered as he also looked at the carnage I wrought. "Did...did you do this...Julia...?"

"I did, asshole." I replied, readying my daggers, More assholes to eviscerate and kill it seems.

I noticed Eric, Stan and that archduke turn pure white with fear. "Oh, shit! Look at what she did!… And... She's LOOKING AT US! RUN AWAAAYYY! RUN AWAAAYYY!" Eric shouted, and all of them bolted down the hallway. That archduke was going so fast that his wheelchair was leaving flaming trails in his wake.

I dashed out into the hallway, determined to run them down and finish this. "GET BACK HERE, YOU ASSHOLES!" I shouted.

Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me. "Julia, what happened!" Yuri shouted, getting my attention. "Are you and the schoolgirls okay?"

* * *

_**(Yuri's point of view)**_

"Y...Yuri...?" Julia spun around. "I'm fine, so's Natalie and Hannah. I prevented them from raping Natalie..." Hannah and Natalie come out. Both of them looked really shaken up. Julia looked into the room. "I sent their would be tormentors screaming off to Hell, where they belong."

We looked in at what she did. And let met tell you, it's not a pretty sight. There was blood and entrails all over the floor...the walls… the ceiling… Oh man, what a fucking mess. I was starting to feel nauseous from looking at it...and smelling it.

"OHMIGOD! So much blood! All those guts!" Hisca almost freaked out, her fists up to her face. "It looks like something out of a horror novel!" She almost fainted, which a couple of those mute maids went and did. Damn, what a MESS! Remind me not to get on Julia's bad side. I picked up a tantō and tucked in the inside of my belt, could come in handy.

"Julia what did you do to them…? It looked like you went at them with a buzz-saw blastia set on full tilt?" Jurgis asks, looking kind of green.

"Oh that's it, Tell lord Gradana I quit." That butler calmly(!) said after looking at that mess. "Maybe I'll find an employer that pays for once, and at a place with a bit less gore, like maybe a slaughterhouse." He's serious, right? I swear that guy's made of steel or something. Even Julia was surprised at that comment.

Jurgis looks in the restroom one more time before closing the door. "You know, miss DuBois, Excessive as it was..." That's putting it mildly, Jurgis. "... Something tells me that what you did to those men, they deserved."

"No argument there, Jurgis." Julia replied. "Oh shit, I just realized, Gradana's probably left the mansion by now!"

"If you lot are concerned about my former master leaving the premises, you needn't worry." The butler interjected. "They were in such a hurry, they forgot these." He showed us the keys to the front door.

"Right then." Jurgis said. "let's go finish this." And we headed to the main foyer.

* * *

_**(The Foyer)**_

We soon reached the balcony overlooking the main door, and saw those bastards just stand there, with the exception of bulky and baldy, who had grabbed a pillar and was using it to batter the doors open.

"Can't you oafs hit it any harder!?" Gradana shouted.

"Hey, don't you guys think we wanna get outta here too!?" Bulky replied.

"Yeah, I don't wanna face that four-eyed woodchipper either!" Baldy added, and we all looked at Julia.

"What?" She said.

Just then, Reginald, Derick and Louis showed up at one of the floor entrances, which was a more direct route than the one we took. Damn, shoulda tied 'em up when we had the chance.

"Good grief, what happened to you three?" Gradana asked.

"Those peons clobbered us, Gradana. What do you think?" Reginald answered. "It was so embarrassing."

"You thought that was embarrassing?" Louis replied in a high-pitched voice. "You should try having your manhood nearly crushed. Oooh... It still hurts!"

"Fortunately they in such a hurry they forgot to tie us up." Derick said. "By the way, why are you all hanging around the door for? Shouldn't we be getting Cumore?"

"We...Um...Kinda forgot the keys." Gradana answered. All three of his cronies jaws hit the floor.

"Do you mean these keys, assholes!" I called out, showing them the key ring. I vaulted over the railing and landed on the main floor, followed by Julia. "You want' em, Gradana, then let's settle this, me and you, one-on-one." I stuck the sword into the floor and raised my fists, ready to beat the shit outta him.

"One-on-one?" Gradana replied. "You're crazy, Lowell..." Then, to our surprise, that bowl-cut son of a bitch pulls out a flintlock pistol and cocks the hammer. "And you're dead..." He aims it at us. "Both of you, and you know it. YOU'RE DEAD! GUHIHIHI!" He pulls the trigger. As I duck to the right, pulling out that knife I picked up earlier and throwing it at his wrist.

"YURI!" Julia screams as Gradana pulls the trigger and shoots. Fortunately for us, Gradana barely missed, I felt the pistol ball whiz past my cheek as it smacked into the wall behind us, unfortunately for Gradana, I managed to stick him in the wrist, making him drop the pistol.

"GYAAAAAGH!" Gradana screamed in pain, clutching his injured wrist. He looked like he was about to fall to his knees. But I wasn't gonna let that bastard have the chance...

...I hit him in the face with a right cross..."That's for Chastel!" Then followed with a left hook to the jaw...That's for Hisca!" Then I gave him a right to the stomach..."That's for the people of Shizontonia!" Followed by a knee..."And that's for Ted and my back, you son of a bitch!" Then I pulled the knife out of his wrist and wiped it clean in his hair and stepped aside. "All yours, Julia."

Julia grabbed Gradana by the shoulders and pulled him upright. "No...Nhooo..." He begged as Julia readied her foot, looks like that bastard knows what's coming next..."Please..."...

Julia grabbed Gradana by the shoulders and pulled him upright. "No...Nhooo..." He begged as Julia pulled him towards her, looks like that bastard knows what's coming next..."Please..."...

Then Julia head-butts him in the nose And punches him in the face four times. "That's for my four friends voices!" Then she pulls his battered face right up to her own blood splattered face..."Yo pay attention, you pinhead! Burn into your perverted microscopic brain the image of today's first ever foot to dick external collision!" Julia announced.

"No...don't..." Gradana begged...

...In vain. "TIME FOR THE VIRGIN BREAKER-BREAKER!" Julia yelled as she gave Gradana a hard, fast kick in the privates, lifting him off his feet.

"EEEYYYYIIIIEEEEE! MY BALLS! MY BAAALLLSSS!" Gradana squealed in a VERY high-pitched voice, collapsing to his knees.

"And that's for me, asshole!" Julia flipped him the middle finger. "Well, guess the virgin-breaker... Is finally broken... gu...hi...hi...hi..." She added, mocking that stupid laugh of his.

"GOOOAAALLL!" The twins and the schoolgirls shouted, sticking their arms straight up.

"How dare you beat up our leader!" Louis screamed as he drew his sword and rushed at us. "DIIIIEEEE!" But suddenly he was blocked by Flynn, who parried his attack, and followed up with a stab to his shoulder, making him drop his sword. "GYAAAAAGH! MY MY SHOULDER! HOW DARE YOU!" Louis screamed in pain, clutching bleeding right shoulder.

"And THAT'S for Repede, you reptile-faced son of a bitch!" Flynn declared. "Anyone else feel lucky...?" The rest of them dropped their weapons. Bulky and Baldy dropped that battering ram...on their toes, damn it was funny seeing them hop around yelping like scalded pigs.

Jurgis hears a knock on the door, and looks through the peephole. "'Bout time he showed up." He unlocks the door, letting in Leblanc and several Schwann Brigade knights, Guess the party's over.

"Finally, Arrest these men… and that bitch!" Gradana demanded, pointing at us. "For assault and injury to both my person and Louis DeAnguis's person. Not to mention at least twelve counts of first-degree murder!"

"Actually, sir Gradana, we're here to take you in." Leblanc replied. "You and your top officers are to be charged with using illegal drugs, rape, both first-degree and statutory, and conduct unbecoming of an Imperial knight." You should have seen Gradana's jaw hit the floor. "The Royal guard is intended to protect the candidates to the throne, not to be run like a decadent frat-club."

"But How did you..." Gradana stuttered before...

"We have ways." The captain of the brigade walked in. "Captain Schwann Oltorain at your service." He bowed to the ladies. "A pleasure to meet you, lady Julia Elizabeth DuBois, Hisca and Chastel Aiheap, Natalie Cole and Hannah Quartze, or should I call you Nagisa Sekitan and Honoka Sekiei."

"Charmed, we're sure." Julia replied. "The twin need medical attention due to being raped under the drug's influence."

"Understood, You realize I'll have to arrest you for questioning, Yuri too for assaulting archduke Kyle here, Though given the circumstances, you two'll probably be acquitted." Schwann commented.

"I understand, captain Schwann." Julia acknowledged. "But for some reason I can't help but think that I met you before."

"Ah, They all say that." Schwann replied. "Anyway, sergeant, have them all escorted to the castle for debriefing."

"Yes, sir!" Leblanc saluted. "All right you lot, let's go!" He ordered us.

Schwann turns to Jurgis. "Jurgis, I'd like your report."

"And, you'll have it, Schwann." Jurgis replied.

"Just what the hell's wrong with you people!?" Gradana protested.

"Oh put a sock in it, major." Leblanc replied.

"Well all in all, Yuri, this has been one hectic day." Julia said to me.

"No kidding, Julia...No kidding..." I replied as we went into custody.

* * *

_**(End Part 11)**_

_**Author's Notes:**_

_**Ah, there's nothing more satisfying than doing a chapter where rapists gets what's coming to them, don't you agree...?**_

_**Yuri's take-down of Gradana was, in fact inspired by the 1979 film, 'The Warriors'. And yeah, I think it's quite possible that gunpowder based weapons may exist on Terca Lumireis, but are probably quite rare, and limited to muzzle-loading flintlocks.**_

_**Next chapter, certain characters go to trial, and one of then gets a family reunion.**_


	12. The Trial Of Gradana Stafford

_**Part 12. The Trial of Gradana Stafford**_

* * *

_**(The castle, in a guarded guest room)**_

_**(Julia's point of view)**_

It's now been a couple days since that dreadful incident at Gradana's mansion. So far I've been keeping busy by writing down my experiences of the last ten months. I had a visit from Flynn, he was able to find the clothes Clara made for me, which I'm now wearing and my round-rim glasses. He told me that they'll be trying Yuri today for assault on one archduke Kyle, and that I'll be brought in for testimony. While I was writing about the part where Saleam was… ahem... examining me, I hear a knock on the door.

"Miss DuBois, you have a visitor." The guard outside said. The door opens and in walked Flynn.

"Well, Julia, how are you feeling?" Flynn asked.

"Better, now that I'm not dressed like an absolutely trashy slut." I answered. "Or smelling like Cumore for that matter."

"Heh heh heh. No kidding." Flynn smiled. "So, writing a journal?"

"Yeah, Flynn." I answered. "I'm thinking of calling it 'Scattered Flowers'. It's about the misdeeds of Gradana and those who were victimized by him. Still a work in progress."

Then another, voice replied. "Oh, can I see?" We turn to see this young pink-haired lady with her hair done up, and wearing a lovely blue gown, and smelling like bubblegum enter.

"Lady Estellise..." I got up and curtsied. "...I'm truly sorry, but I'm afraid some of the material in this might not be suitable for your eyes, largely a lot of rough sex, and drugs and a Krytian Hippie with a uterine probe and a welding vizor. Heck It's barely suitable for my eyes."

"Oh...I see." Estellise replied. "I've heard that up until a few days ago that you were a... um... er..." Her perfect flawless white face was turning rather red.

"I think that the word you were looking for was 'prostitute', lady Estellise." I said. "Thought I'm no longer that anymore, and I have no intention of ever being one again."

"So, it's true that sir Gradana was abusing his position as commander of the Royal Guard then...?" Estellise said. "I was talking with the Aiheap twins and those two Yurzorean schoolgirls earlier."

"How are they doing...?" I asked.

"Well, Hisca and Chastel are doing okay." Flynn answered. "They've both, so far, tested negative for pregnancy and we've got them on contraceptives."

"Hope the doctor treating them was wearing a metal welding visor." I commented.

"I'm afraid not, Julia." Flynn shook his head.

"Oh, dear, the poor fellow..." Estellise said. "Anyway I was talking to the schoolgirls. Hannah and I seen to have a few thing in common; we both like to read and we both like cute and beautiful things, and Natalie's pretty funny… Hee hee hee."

"Well dame Margaret likes Hannah's mannerisms, and thinks that Natalie might be a bad influence on lady Estellise." Flynn commented.

"Well from what I know about those two, Hannah comes from an upper-class family, her mannerisms do kind of show it." I replied. "And Natalie's family are working class, runs a chain of successful bath-houses or so I'm told."

"I do admit that some of their words are interesting." Estellise said. "They insisted on calling me 'Hime-sama' which means princess in their language, and they were calling dame Margaret 'Ojou-sama', I'm certain that's their word for lady. Even their word for cute, 'kawaiī' sounds cute."

"I'm not surprised, given enough time they'll be calling us by our names..." I replied. "...preceded by the appropriate honorific of course. How are they doing?"

"They seem to be doing okay, Julia." Flynn answered. "Natalie's practically climbing the walls… Heh heh heh... The other two Yurzorean slave girls, I believe their names are Rina Tokumitsu and Shiho Sendai, are being currently treated for tentacle syrup addiction, they oughta make a full recovery."

"And I pray for the recovery of all of them." Estellise added, holding her hands up to her chin. "As well as those mute maids that were brought in, I understand they'll be getting surgery to restore their voices."

"And I pray for their recovery as well, lady Estellise." I said. "And I also hope that they get justice for what was done to them."

"Anyway, I have morning studies to attend to, so I guess I'll see you two later." Estellise bowed and left.

"Something tells me you're here to escort me to the courtroom so I give my story on that incident with archduke Kyle." I inquired.

"I'm afraid so, Julia." Flynn replied. "Also you'll also be testifying against Gradana Stafford, and he's brought in some good(sic) lawyers to represent him."

"And I suppose I'll be representing myself in that case. Wish they allowed weapons in the Courtroom." I said. "Um...That was a joke, Flynn..."

"Um...Yeah..." Flynn replied. "Please follow me." So I got up and followed Flynn downstairs to the Courtroom, where they're holding trials.

* * *

_**(The Castle Courtroom)**_

_**(Yuri's point of view)**_

They just finished questioning us on the case concerning what happened the night I found Julia in the Red Light District, and are in recess to decide my fate. Not surprisingly, Kyle seemed pleased with how things went. "Soon, it'll be all over for you, Lowell." Kyle gloated. "They'll find you guilty, and have you hung in the public square."

"I'm not sure about that Kyle." I replied.

"That's archduke Kyle to you, commoner!" He retorted.

"Whatever." I said. "You know that I told 'em that you were completely naked at the time, and I had no way of knowing that you were a noble, and you looked like just another Lower Quarter john."

"And you think that might save you...?" Kyle asked.

"Maybe..." I hoped.

"All that questioning was rather exhausting..." Julia wiped her forehead.

Just then the judge and jury came back out and sat down at their seats. "Yuri George Lowell, please stand." He ordered. "We have reached a decision in the case of Nicolas vs. Lowell."

"And what is your decision and his fate?" The man-at arms asked.

"Yuri, George Lowell, you are charged with the assault upon archduke Kyle Nicolas, which you have admitted to doing, and have been found... not guilty."

"WHAT!?" Kyle shouted. "How could this be!? I want this ruffian hanged!"

"ORDER IN THE COURT!" The judge banged his gavel. "You must consider the fact that you, archduke Kyle was completely naked in the assault in question, and thus, mr. Lowell had absolutely no way of knowing that you were a noble. As it would appeared at the time, you would have looked no different from any Lower Quarter john. Not to mention this incident happened in the Red Light District, Where not even Nobility or even Royalty can complain about what happens to them there, be it assault or sexually transmitted diseases. You have signed the waiver before entering, and yes, we do have a copy here." Kyle nods as the judge shows the court Kyle's waiver…

And mine, which I had to sign in order to shortcut through.

"Seriously, mr. Lowell, entering that district with a fifteen year old minor. Even if it's just to pass trough." he shakes his head at me. "But irregardless, the decision stands. Let no one bear reprisal against mr. Lowell over this. I have spoken. Case dismissed!" He bangs his his gavel, ending the session.

"Well, congrats, Yuri, you managed to beat the rap." Ned slapped me on the back.

"This isn't over, Lowell." Kyle muttered under his breath as he left the courtroom. Yeah, yeah, go pout, I win. One of the jurors came over to talk, And I could tell from his broad, burly build and thick dark beard, that It's Julia's old man, earl Robert DuBois.

"I'd never thought I'd see the day this would happen." He introduced himself in that booming voice of his. "That you'd do something as reckless as attack a noble and be found not guilty, Yuri. Such **DARING! SUCH OUTRAGEOUSNESS! SUCH INSOLENCE OR ARROGANCE!**" Then he slaps me on the back, nearly knocking me down. "HA HA HA! I salute you, boy! If there's anyone I can think that deserves his manhood kicked, it's that brown-skinned twat. He's a disgrace to dark-skinned folk I'll tell you!"

"Oh, Really Father." Julia rolls her eyes. "I wonder if you got that telegram from Leblanc the other day."

"Yes I did." Robert replied. "I'm still finding it hard to believe that the whole time Gradana was making you take some kind of drug to make you act this way. I made a mistake in casting you out of the family again in such rash haste, and I plan to make amends for it, I assure you. Gradana will answer for this."

"Well, Father, I made certain he answered in one way." Julia replied, cracking her knuckles and tapping the tip of her right shoe.

"Ooooo...I can imagine." Robert turns to me. "This is NOT a lady you want angry at you, believe me, Yuri."

"Tell me about it." I said, thinking about not only how hard she beat up Gradana, but also how she single handily ripped apart a rape-gang and...redecorated the room they were in...with their blood and guts.… Damn what a mess... "So you planning on welcoming her back then, huh?"

"If she wishes to come back, of course." Robert said. "So, Julia, what do you plan to do after this?"

"I appreciate the offer, Father." Julia said. "And as for what's next, I'm thinking of trying to get myself reinstated in the Imperial Knights, just as long as it isn't the Royal Guard, or The Cumore Brigade, I simply cannot stand that commanding officer, he's just so overbearing, smells like lilacs… And do not get me started on his bedroom."

"I agree, Julia." I said. Don't like that guy much either. "You know, I remember you wanted to be a scholar after you did your standard two-year tour of duty."

"That's right, Yuri. I still do." Julia smiled. "Follow in the family tradition and so forth." Then she notices the clock on the wall. "Well guess we'll go for lunch then, I have to stay here and testify against Gradana afterwords."

"Yeah, Guess I'll be seeing you later, Lemme know how it goes." I shook her hand. And me and Ned left the courtroom and the Castle and headed back to the Fountain Plaza. Here's hoping that bowl-cut twit gets what's coming to him...

* * *

_**(The Courtroom, early afternoon)**_

_**(Flynn's point of view)**_

"I can't believe I have to go through this lame trial." Gradana, with his nose all bandaged up, complained, as He, Louis(who, thanks to me, had his shoulder bandaged up), Derick, Reginald, and of course my friend Hatchette, were escorted into the courtroom to answer for their misdeeds against the mute maids, Julia, and more recently, Hisca and Chastel Aiheap. "This is so beneath us." He continued to gripe as they took the bench. "I'll see that you pay for this, Scifo, along with your commanding officer and that four-eyed slut and(looking at Hatchette) you especially, you traitor!"

"We'll see, Gradana." I replied. "Your misdeeds will be exposed to the public today, and hopefully those you and your friends victimized will get some closure."

Then the judge entered and sat down. He bangs the gavel to quiet the courtroom "The case of Gradana Brandon Stafford and co. is hereby in session." He announced, starting the proceedings. "We will hear from the accusers first. Council call your first witness."

"I call, Julia DuBois to the stand, your honor." Nick Simorg, the lawyer for the plaintiff announced.

"Approach the stand, ms DuBois." The judge said.

Julia takes the stand. "Here I go again." and sits down.

"Place your left hand on the tome of Zaude. Raise your right" Sir Drake, who was serving as the man-at arms for this inquiry instructed, and Julia does so. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you?"

"I do." Julia answered.

"So be it." Sir Drake acknowledged.

"Your witness, mr Simorg.." The Judge declared.

"Thank you, your honor." Nick begins his examination. "Ms DuBois, Tell us what happened to you on the night that major Stafford invited you to dinner."

"Well we had this rather marvelous dinner... The appetizer was a goose paté... The main course was roast pheasant with roasted and seasoned potatoes with ranch dressing as a side... We talked a bit about my experiences singe joining the Royal Guard... As well as my visit to the God's realm some three years ago..."

"So when did he drug you, miss DuBois?" Nick asked.

"The wine..." Julia answered. "We each had a glass of red wine following our dinner... But my glass was spiked with a drug... Because the next thing I know that my head was feeling dizzy, and my body started to tingle..."

"Objection!" Gradana's lawyer, Siegfried von Unseriös interrupted. "How does she know the difference between the drug and the alcohol... she could've been drunk."

"If it was just the drink, only my head would've been affected, not the rest of me." Julia replied. "Besides I only had one drink that night... six ounces."

"Not enough to make you drunk then..." The judge said, Julia nodes. "In that case, objection overruled... Continue your questioning, mr Simorg."

"And shortly after you started feeling...unusual, that is when mr Stafford sexually assaulted you?" Nick asked.

"Objection, your honor!" Siegfried objected. "Speculation."

"Sustained." The judge replied. "Please re-phrase your question, mr Simorg.

"Apologies, your honor..." Nick bowed. "Strike my last question." The journalist erases the previous question. "Let me me try this again... So what happened next, ms DuBois?"

"Well... how do I put this...?" Julia stroked her chin. "When I asked what was going on with me, Gradana and his friends there said that we will be having dessert, and, according to them, dessert was sex with me, and Gradana was going to take the first serving..." The jury murmured for a moment before Julia continues. "... I objected to this at first, but Gradana ordered me to, and I quote him, 'Shut it, bitch'. Which I found myself uncontrollably doing."

"And what happened next?" Nick asked.

"Well, Gradana wanted to do some foreplay first…. which I did without question. Then he ordered me to take of my clothes, save for my boots and panties, which were to be left at my knees... Again I did without question. It was all rather confusing at the time."

"I see..." Nick replied. "Please continue."

"Very well..." Julia nodded. "Gradana asked if I was still a virgin..."

"Noted." Nick said.

Julia continued. "It was at that point that Gradana decided to... break my virginity. Can I have a moment... What I have to say next is rather...difficult."

"Okay." Nick agrees. "Take your time... continue when you're ready.

After a couple of minutes Julia continues. "It was at that point... That Gradana... Announced he was going in... And he...He... he did it!"

The courtroom erupted in a lot of shouting and cursing. A lot of it aimed at Gradana.

"ORDER IN THE COURT!" The judge banged his gavel, but the shouting and cat-calls continued. "ORDER!"

"Allow me..." Sir Robert stood up. "**SIIILLLEEENNNCCCEEE!**" He shouted. "**EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU WILL SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!**" Well things got quiet in a hurry. "Thank you... Now don't make me do that again." Ow my ears!

After our hearing came back, Julia continued. "Honestly Father."

"Is there anything else you like to mention." Nick inquired.

Unfortunately, there is..." Julia replied. "After Gradana was done with me, He had Hatchette Gachot... have his way with me. Like me he too was drugged. Then Derick von Burns was next." Quite a few of the people in attendance... including the twins winced. "Then Louis DeAnguis did me too. They turned me from a royal guards-woman into a sex-addicted sex-slave... After that it was ten months of mind twisting madness, pain and sex sex sex and, you guessed it, more sex... Good grief."

"No further questions." Nick said as he returned to the bench.

"You may cross-examine the witness, mr von Unseriös." The judge announced and Siegfried approached, grinning...

"Oh good grief, here comes the Spanish Inquisition." Julia rolls her eyes. Any idea what she meant by a Spanish Inquisition? Must be one of those phrases she picked up on her tour three years ago.

Ms DuBois..." Siegfried started his cross-examination. "Did you, or did you not accept sir Gradana's invitation to dinner."

"Yes I did..." Julia replied.

"Is that so." Siegfried grinned. "When my client... asked you to have sex with him... did you refuse?"

"A already mention I objected at..." Julia replied but...

… She was quickly interrupted. "Did you refuse his advances?" Siegfried asked.

"And you better tell the truth. Guhihihi" Gradana added.

"No I didn't." Julia sighed.

"And you allowed him to have sex with you?" Siegfried asked.

"...Yes I did" Julia replied. "But I should mention that I was drugged at the time."

"Not an excuse, DuBois... Under our current laws, date-rape drugs are those that render you unconscious. You were fully conscious at the time, where you not?"

"Yes I was." Julia answered.

"Therefore, you had consensual sex with my client and his associates." Siegfried declared. "There was no rape involved whatsoever. You make me sick! No further questions, your honor."

"You may step down, ms DuBois." the Judge ordered.

"May I say something before I step down?" Julia asked. The Judge nods. "If you are trying to establish that I was nothing more than a whore, mr Unseriös, You simply needn't bother. Yes I was such a person. Yes, I did it with those... Absolutely revolting assholes over there..." She points at Gradana and his lackeys. "And, as I recall, I even did itx with you... On Gradana's orders of course."

You should've seen seen Siegfried's face. "Don't mention our night together here! Are you trying to get me disbarred!?"

"I thought it was a good try... By the way... You weren't very good, yuck!" Julia steps down, gives him a REALLY dirty look. "HUMPH!" And walks back to our bench, nose in the air.

"I'll want a word with you about this following these proceedings, mr Unseriös..." The judge shakes his head. "Moving on, do you have another witness, mr Simorg?"

"I call Chastel Aiheap to the stand, your honor." Nick answered.

"Approach the stand, ms Aiheap." The judge orders and Chastel approaches.

"Place your left hand on the tome of Zaude. Raise your right" Sir Drake instructed, and Chastel does so. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you?"

"I do." Chastel answered.

"So be it." Sir Drake acknowledged.

"Your witness, mr Simorg.." The judge declared.

"Thank you, your honor." Nick begins his examination. "Ms Aiheap, Tell us what happened to you on the night that major Stafford called you and your sister, Hisca to his headquarters."

Chastel began her reply. "After we arrived, Major Stafford congratulated us on arriving. Then he told us about the fate of the refugees from Shizontonia."

"What was being done with them.?" Nick asked.

"Objection!" Siegfried interrupted. "Irrelevant."

"I believe my question about the refugees is important to this case, your honor." Nick stated.

"I see... objection overruled." The judge announced. "Answer the question, ms Aiheap."

"Yes, your honor." Chastel replied. "He told us that they were being sent to Capua Nor."

"Capua Nor, you say?" Nick asked.

"That's correct." Chastel answered. "Gradana mentioned that ever since Ragou Stufato was recently appointed there, He's been taxing the people dry, and making them do forced labor til they die."

"Move to strike, your honor..." Siegfried interrupted. "We have no such solid proof that lord Ragou Stufato was abusing his authority in that manner. Furthermore this comment is irrelevant to the case against my client."

"Agreed, Strike that last comment..." The judge agreed. "Any further questions?"

"Yes, your honor." Nick replied. "Ms Aiheap, upon learning of this move, what happened next?"

Chastel replied. "Well, Since we knew that Nor Harbor was a... bad place for the refugees to go, I asked Gradana if there was any other place they could be sent to. Gradana said that he'd talk to his excellency, commandant Alexei about changing the council's mind... however... There were... things he wanted me and my sister to do first."

'What kind of things?" Nick asked.

"Well first, he told us to take off our clothes." Chastel answered. This caused a lot of murmuring in the jury, as well as those in attendance.

"Order in the court." The judge ordered, quieting things down. "Please continue, ms Aiheap."

"Yes, your honor..." Chastel nodded. "Gradana said that if we don't do that, then the refugees will still go to Nor Harbor. So I agreed to his demand, Hoping that'll be it"

"So you took off your off-duty uniform, then, The very uniform you're wearing right now." Nick commented.

"Correct..." Chastel replied. "I thought it would be just me having to...suffer this...humiliation... But Gradana also wanted my sister, Hisca to... strip as well" There was even more murmuring before the judge quieted things down. Chastel continued. "Like Julia, we were made to strip, save for our boots, and our panties, which were left at our knees. We both felt VERY humiliated!" Chastel was blushing heavily.

"Do you need a moment to compose yourself, ms Aiheap." The judge asked.

"I... I think so, your honor..." Chastel answered.

"Fifteen minute recess then." The judge bangs the gavel. "We'll continue then."

As we got up, Julia marched over to Gradana. "You made them do THAT as well!?" She snarled.

"You...you stay back, you… you blood thirsty head-butting ball kicking harpy...!" Gradana backed away, no doubt, not wanting another kick in the nuts, or his nose mashed in again. "I only got my voice back down to normal this morning!"

Now calm down, daughter." Earl Robert placed his big hand on Julia's shoulder. "No need for any violence... yet."

"Are you sure, father?" Julia asked, looking up at her father's thickly bearded face.

"I'm positive, my dear." Earl Robert replied. "Matter of fact... I'm hoping to...have some words with him... Should he be guilty."

"Um... Okay..." Julia agreed, then she looks at Gradana. "Looks you 're off the hook, asshole... for now... But I simply have a feeling I might need to get some earplugs... Or I don't know my father..."

_**XXX**_

We returned to the courtroom after the recess. And Nick resumed his examination of Chastel.

"... Well Gradana commented on the difference of our...boob size. As well as the fact that I had a... carpet." Chastel's face was redder than her hair when she said that.

"You were more... Developed than your sister then?" Nick asked.

"You... might say that." Chastel replied, still blushing. Can't blame her. "Right now I'm... practically the same as Julia."

"I see... Anyway... What did Gradana do to you next?" Nick asked.

"Well, Gradana started fondling and licking my breasts, then he deep-kissed me. Then he wanted to do the same to Hisca."

"I was so scared..." Hisca added, clutching her arms. "I didn't want him to...touch me… ugh..."

Chastel continued, a look of uneasiness of her face. "Then I told Gradana that I'd do anything he wanted, As long as he leaved Hisca alone."

"Now I'm wishing I let Yuri continue using him as a punching bag back in Shizontonia." I whispered to Julia.

Chastel continued.. "After some foreplay… He violated me!"

There was a lot of murmuring in the courtroom. "Order in the court." The judge banged his gavel. "Or do I have to ask earl DuBois to quiet you again?" The court quickly quieted. "Do you want to continue, ms Aiheap?"

"I have to, your honor." Chastel replied before continuing. "Where was I...? Oh yeah... After he was done, Louis ravished me next. They made Hisca look at my body as Louis had his way with me. She was nearly in tears. After he was... done, Derick was going to do me next. That's when Hisca suddenly interrupted."

Speaking of Hisca. "Chastel... I want to continue." There was some murmuring.

"Are you sure, sis?" Chastel asked, Hisca nodded. "Okay then, Your honor, may I step down?"

"Does the council for the defense object to this?" the judge asked.

"I can cross examine her later." Siegfried replied.

"Very well, no further questions, your honor." Nick declared.

"You may step down, ms Aiheap." The judge ordered. Chastel returned to our bench. "Call your next witness."

"I call Hisca Aiheap to the stand, Your honor." Nick announced.

"Approach the stand, ms Aiheap." The judge orders and Chastel approaches.

"Place your left hand on the tome of Zaude. Raise your right" Sir Drake instructed, and Hisca does so. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you?"

"I do." Hisca answered.

"So be it." sir Drake acknowledged.

"Your witness, mr Simorg.." The judge declared.

"Thank you, your honor." Nick begins his examination. "Ms Aiheap, I understand correctly you chose to have mr VonBurns... have his way with you instead of your sister. Is that correct?"

"Yes, sir..." Hisca answered. "Gradana asked if I was a virgin as well. Then he laid me on my back and smeared some kind of drug on my body."

"I have a feeling it was Tentacle Syrup..." Julia whispered to me. "It works somewhat faster when applied directly to the skin.."

Hisca continues. "Then I felt my head get all dizzy and my body get all tingly. Then there was foreplay. Then, like with Chastel... He... also took away my purity."

"She looked so delicate and helpless under that bowl-cut bastard." Chastel said to me and Julia.

"How awful" Julia agreed.

Hisca continued. "The dizziness and tingling became very intense. That drug made it all... feel good. That wasn't right. I thought I was gonna get pregnant right then and there. While that was going on, they also drugged Chastel."

"They continued to use her?" Nick asked.

"They did..." Hisca answered. "Derick did her while Hatchette did me." We noticed Hatchette shamefully turn his head, As if to say 'Don't look at me. I'm a monster.'

"Was that it?" Nick asked.

"No, sir..." Hisca shook her head. "It gets worse..." She explains what happened next. It was really unpleasant. "But wait, it gets... better. They mind-broke us. Just like with Julia. And we were their mewling sex-slaves for the next two weeks. As a 'reward' for our... efforts..." Hisca did that quotation gesture on reward. "... Gradana had us transferred into the Royal Guard. And got the refugees transferred to Heliord."

"Out of one frying pan and into another." I said to Julia.

"I agree, Flynn." Julia nodded.

"No further questions, your honor." Nick stepped back.

"Do you wish to cross-examine Hisca?" The judge asked.

"She can step down." Siegfried said. "I still wish to cross-examine Chastel."

"Very well... You may step down, Hisca." The judge ordered. Hisca returns to the bench. "Chastel, return to the stand, and remember you are still under oath." Chastel nodded in agreement as she returned to the stand. "You may cross-examine the witness, mr Unseriös."

Siegfried begins his cross-examination. "Well, ms Aiheap that was quite an interesting story you and your sister just told. You two, like ms DuBois earlier make it sound like My clients sexually assaulted you."

"He did." Chastel replied.

"But I beg to differ." Siegfried sneered. "When you two learned of those refugees fate, Why didn't you two go to commandant Alexei and asked him to change their relocation yourselves?"

"That's a valid question." Commandant Alexei, who was sitting in on these proceedings said. "Why didn't you two come to me with this...?"

It was a while before Chastel answered. "...There was two of us and five of them. And we had no weapons to defend ourselves. If we tried to leave or defend ourselves, they would have overpowered us and raped us far more brutally and the refugees would have still gone to Capua nor! So I had no choice but go along and let them have their way with me. I hoped that they'd spare Hisca, but..."

"My client would've let you go and let you two see commandant Alexei would he have not?" Siegfried interrupted.

"Objection, your honor!" Nick objected. "Council is misleading the witness!"

"Sustained." The judge agreed.

"I would have if they had just asked." Gradana answered. "And I would've been okay with it if they... refused my advances. But they didn't refuse my advances. All the sex that happened that day was of a … consensual nature. You two even allowed me to use Tentacle syrup on you. Admit it!"

"Y...Yes..." Chastel stammered. "We... gave into your sick demands, Gradana..." She hangs her head in shame. "We... let ourselves be… sob... deflowered by you and your men... sob sob... All of it… sob sob... to save those refugees... sniffle..."

"Then you and your sister have nothing against my client." Siegfried declared. "You two and ms DuBois obviously had a right good time with my client and his friends! There was no rape involved whatsoever!"

"But..." Chastel tried to explain, but...

Siegfried interrupted. "How dare you three drag my client's good name through the mud!"

"Objection, yo..." Nick tried to object but...

...Siegfried continued. "Just what were you three really planing to get from my client being put through this needless trial?"

Object..." Nick tried again, but...

… "You and your sister were rewarded with positions in the Royal Guard! Despite the fact that all three of you are commoners!" Siegfried continued to grill Chastel

"But we..." Chaster tried to talk back, but...

"My client gave you, Hisca, and Julia way more than you three lowly commoners deserve, and you then go and put my client through all this grief! All this suffering! All this expense! Have you no shame! You three ought to be sentenced to permanent exile!" Siegfried lambasted, causing Chastel to burst into tears. "And don't think your crocodile tears are gonna..."

Suddenly... "**OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR!**" Nick roared his objection. "**IT'S QUITE OBVIOUS THAT THE COUNCIL'S BADGERING THAT WITNESS!**" He glares at Siegfried. "**AND IS ALSO SLANDERING MY CLIENTS, AND IS ALSO IGNORING COURTROOM PROTOCOL!**"

"Talk about loud..." Earl Robert said. Everyone looks at him. "Relatively speaking, of course."

"Really, Siegfried...? The judge shakes his head. "Just what were you trying to pull with this?"

"I was merely trying to show that the plaintiffs were greedy, undeserving... ladies that are just trying to ring my client for everything that he has."

"And you... conveniently forgot that one of them happens to be a noble.." The judge snapped back, pointing at Julia. "First of all objection sustained. Second of all you are fined one thousand gald for refusing to halt your questioning when the objection was called out."

"... Meep..." Siegfried face went white. "No further questions, your honor."

"You may step down, ms Aiheap." The judge ordered. Chastel, tears in her eyes walked back to our bench and tearfully hugged her sister. "Do you have anymore witnesses, mr Simorg?"

"One more, your honor." Nick replied. "I wish to call Hatchette Gachot to the stand as a hostile witness." Not surprisingly, this caused a lot of complaining form the defendant's bench...

...Much of it from Gradana. "WHAT!? How dare you call that...traitor to the stand, he oughta be hung for turning on the guard! Traitor, don't you dare say anything, you revolting turncoat or else..."

The judge interrupted, banging his gavel. "ORDER IN THE COURT! Gradana Stafford, you will restrain yourself, or be held in contempt! Is that what you want?"

"N...No, your honor." Gradana answered.

"Then remain quiet until it's time for you to speak, mr. Stafford." The judge ordered. "Mr Gachot, please take the stand?"

"Yes, your honor." Hatchette took the stand.

And, like Julia and Chastel and Hisca before was sworn in.

"Place your left hand on the tome of Zaude. Raise your right" Sir Drake instructed, and Hatchette does so. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you?"

"I do." Hatchette answered. "Alright, let's do this."

"So be it." The man at arms acknowledged.

"Your witness, mr Simorg.." The judge declared.

Paul begins his questioning "So tell me, mr. Gachot, what happened to you in the Royal Guard to make you... violate former lieutenant Julia, and lieutenant Hisca?"

"Drugs..." Hatchette answered. "Snucked into my drink prior to Gradana ordering me to... use Julia. And he used it on me without my knowledge for the last ten months to make me act like his idea of a chauvinistic noble, Isn't that right, Gradana...?" Gradana remained silent, no doubt not wishing to further implicate himself.

"And when did you know about this?" Paul asked.

"A day before we went to arrest Yuri for stomping on archduke Kyle. Gradana told me so himself. He even admitted to using that drug on me..." Hatchette face-palms, shaking his head. "Dammit, why didn't I notice it earlier...? I thought it was the beer." He leans back on his chair. "I mean the signs were there; the dizziness...the tingling, I remember feeling like that before I did Julia, and again when we forced the twins to be our slaves. There might have a few other times, don't quite recall, but something tells me that the first use of it on me was all that it took, I couldn't quite disobey, and I enjoyed the act. Drugged or not, I'm as guilty as my commanding officer, and I'm perfectly willing to face my deserved punishment for my crimes."

"So tell me, mr Gachot, What drug were they using on you, as well as on ms. DuBois and the Aiheaps...?" Nick asked.

"As Julia and the Twins stated earlier, Tentacle Syrup, sir." Hatchette replied, looking a bit...green. "Or as Yuri likes to call it...ugh...'Monster Drool'..."

"Monster Drool...?" Nick asked. "Please explain."

"Julia told me that it's really the saliva of some kind of tentacle monster found in Kiev Moc." Hatchette explained. "She even showed us a picture, remember Flynn."

"Yeah, Hatchette." I replied. "Not something I'd want to meet in a dark alley, or anywhere else for that matter"

"Right then, no further questions." Paul finished.

"Do you wish to cross Examine?" The Judge asked.

"Yes, Your Honor." Siegfried approaches Hatchette. "Hatchette Gachot What do you think you're doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing...?" Hatchette replied. "I'm confessing to raping my friend, Julia, The twins, and every broad in the last ten months while I was under the influence of that crap!"

"Do you even realize what the penalty is, mr Gachot?" Siegfried asked.

"Yeah, I looked it up..." Hatchette answered. "I'm probably looking at a dis-honorable discharge, no less than three years of hard labor, and a criminal record that will dog me for the rest of my natural life. That about right?"

"Yes is is, mr Gachot." Siegfried said. "As one of my clients, I'm trying to keep that from happening."

"And, unfortunately, you're doing a... good job of it..." Hatchette replied. "Me and those guys there... We deserve to be locked away after what we did... Ruining Julia's, The Twins... And those muted maids lives... Those girls didn't deserve that... And we don't deserve to be called human beings!" He slams his hands down on the stand.

The courtroom erupted in a whole lot of talking. "Order in the court!" The Judge bangs his gavel, silencing the room. "Do you have anything else to ask?"

"... No further questions, your honor." Siegfried answered.

"You may step down, Mr Gachot." The judge ordered.

"Your honor, I like permission to give out this to the commandant..." He hands the Judge a sheet.

The judge reads what's on it. "This is a pretty strong confession... Permission granted." Hatchette heads over to commandant Alexei, and hands him the paper. Then he hands it over to earl Robert.

"Do you have anymore witnesses?" The judge asks.

"Do you wish to take the stand, mr Scifo?" Nick asks me.

"Yes nick" I replied.

"Then I call, sergeant Flynn Scifo to the stand." Nick announced.

"Approach the stand, mr Scifo." The judge said.

I approach the stand the stand, and sit down.

"Place your left hand on the tome of Zaude. Raise your right" Sir Drake instructed, and I do so. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you?"

"I do." I answered.

"So be it." Sir Drake acknowledged.

"Your witness, mr Simorg.." The Judge declared.

"Thank you, your honor." Nick begins his examination. "You've had a... bit of a history with Gradana, Is that correct?"

"You could say that..." I answered. "My family, like Hatchette's, was gentry. And my father was in the Royal Guard... Before his death seven years ago... His title was suspended, and the property was held in state by the emperor until I turned twenty one. But The Emperor was lost in the Battle of Mount Temza... And as a result... My property was bought up by the Staffords and me and my mother was kicked out... She passed on shortly thereafter. I tried to challenge the Stafford earl... But he chose to have his then twenty year old son, Gradana face me in my stead."

"That's when I stepped in and prevented that duel from happening." Sir Drake interrupted. "A twenty year old man that I trained in sword-fighting against a ten year-old boy with no such skills... It would not have ended well. I was able to convince Flynn to wait until he turned twenty-one, and sent him to live with the Mallorys... who were at the time, taking care of son of a friend of mine that disappeared long ago.

"That's correct, sir Drake..." I said. "I decided it's best to wait until I was old enough to face Gradana on an equal footing. Sir Drake even taught both me and Yuri personally when we were training at the academy."

"But apparently, Gradana wasn't going to wait until you got old enough to legally face him." Nick said.

"Objection, your honor!" Siegfried objected. "Speculation."

"Your honor, You had read the debriefings presented to you by sir Schwann." Nick reminded.

"I have..." The judge replied. "Objection overruled. Please continue."

And That's what I did. "I was asked to accompany sir Gradana as him and some of his guardsmen went down to the Lower Quarter to apprehend Yuri Lowell for the physical assault on one archduke Kyle Nicolas..." Which just earlier has been settled. Luckily for Yuri. "When we confronted him, along with Julia and two young Yurzoreans. Yuri accused him of drugging and enslaving Julia, and turning Hatchette into a rapist. There was some back and forth argument between before I asked Hatchette if it was true."

"Which It all was..." Hatchette replied.

I continued. "He confessed there and then that Gradana wad drugging him, had Julia drugged, And was drugging and raping the Aiheap twins. I should point out that sir Gradana ordered him to confess truthfully to this. And because of the drug in question's properties, that's what he did."

"Really?" Nick asked.

"It certainly was..." I answered. "Then sir Gradana told us that he'll be taking Yuri up to his mansion instead of the castle, along with Julia, and those Yurzoreans. He also said that he'll... have to arrange an... accident for me."

"An accident?" Nick asked.

"That's correct..." I answered. "... Next thing I know, I felt a sharp blow to the back of my head, and the next thing I remembered, I was tied up back to back with Yuri in sir Gradana's dining hall. I learned from Yuri that he and Julia were forced to surrender when sir Gradana threatened the life of seven year old Ted Mallory."

There was a bit of talking in the courtroom for a minute or two before the judge banged his gavel, quieting things. "If there anything else you wanted to say?" he asked me.

"Well not much else to say..." I replied. "Other than sir Gradana was planning to have me killed along with Yuri that night. After they had their lavish diner. They threw around some ideas on how to... get rid of us...Before they settled on Whipping Yuri one hundred and eighty lashes, knock out all his teeth, mash his genitals and chop his head off. And what they had in mind for me was just as bad; They were going to make me duel sir Gradana blindfolded... Well They made me think it was gonna be sir Gradana. They were probably planning on having me fight some muscle-bound warrior armed with a really sharp weapon while I would be armed with a dull sword... if I'm lucky."

"I see..." Nick said. "And, your honor, you do have sir Jurgis's and sir Schwann's reports in the incident in question."

"Ah yes, they were conducting an independent investigation on why was Gradana taking non-nobles into the Royal Guard." The judge replied. "Do you have any further questions?"

"No further Questions, your honor." Nick answered.

"Mr Unseriös, do you wish to cross-examine?" The judge asks Gradana's council.

Gradana looks at Siegfried and shakes his head. "Are you sure, sir Gradana?" Siegfried asks, Gradana nods. "I have no questions for the witness, your honor."

"I see..." The judge nodded. "Mr Simorg, Do you have any more witnesses?"

"No, your honor..." Nick answered. "The plaintiff rests."

"Very well, me Unseriös, call your first witness." The Judge ordered.

"I call major Gradana Brandon Stafford to the stand, your honor." Siegfried announced.

"Finally... now it's my turn..." Gradana stood up and approached the stand.

"Place your left hand on the tome of Zaude. Raise your right" Sir Drake instructed, and Gradana does so. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you?"

"I most certainly do." Gradana answered. Why do I find that hard to believe.

"So be it." Sir Drake acknowledged.

"Your witness, mr Unseriös.." The Judge declared

"Thank you, your honor." Siegfried begins his examination. "Major Stafford, a lot of what the plaintiffs said, as well as what lieutenant Gachot added is pretty accusatory. I trust they were all lies to smear your esteemed name, am I correct...?" Siegfried asked.

Gradana looks at commandant Alexei. "I'm afraid they're not." Gradana stated. Wait what!?

"Wait what!?" Siegfried gasped in surprise. "Sir Gradana, what are you doing!?" That's what a lot of wanted to know.

"Well I'm sworn to tell the truth, right? So that's what I'm doing." Gradana declared. "After all, the only existence a women should have is to be our housewives or our servants, to serve our pleasures, and to make babies, preferably boys. And it is our divine right as noblemen to keep the weaker sex in their proper place; beneath us." That brought out quite a few gasps from the courtroom.

Gradana let things quiet down before continuing. "If we have to use drugs to keep them in their place...so be it. If we have to rape them to keep them in line...so be it. They don't deserve to be in the imperial knights, like my accusers there(pointing at Julia, the twins, and the mute maids)unless they serve our desires." Talk about a misogynistic attitude.

And Gradana's still spilling the beans... To everyone's surprise. "And they don't deserve to be smarter then us like that stupid Sodia brat... So what if we're found guilty, we can just easily use our connections to get off the hook. So go ahead, find us guilty. I don't care. I stand by my beliefs as a proper Stafford. And so do they(looking at Derick, Louis, and Reginald), well except for that traitor, Hatchette, he can hang for all we care."

"I...see." Siegfried said, his face was white with shock. "Nothing more." And he staggers back to his bench, muttering about how he needs a freaking drink. And something tells me that either Yuri musta punched him harder than I thought... Or Julia kicked him harder than I thought.

"You... may step down, mr. Stafford." The judge ordered and Gradana returned to his bench, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Court is in recess until we reach a verdict."

_**XXX**_

One hour later, we returned to the courtroom and sat down to wait for the judge. "All rise!" Sir Drake announced, we stood up as the judge entered and sat down. "Be seated!" And we sat down to hear his verdict.

"Gradana Brandon Stafford, please stand." The judge ordered. Gradana stood up to hear his verdict. "You, along with Louis DeAnguis, Derick VonBurns, Reginald Loewe, and Hatchette Gachot, have been charged with using illegal drugs, raping, both first degree and statutory, of your female colleges assigned to the Royal Guard and illegal mutilation of said colleges. All five of you have been found...guilty. Sentence of not less than three years or a fine of ten thousand gald. You'll be stripped of rank and be banished from the imperial knights."

The judge then looks at Hatchette. "However, Hatchette Gachot, taking into consideration, that your actions, while vile, were done do under the influence of drugs sans knowledge. So your sentence has been commuted. You will, however be stripped of your rank and reduced to sergeant, as well as stripped of your position in the Royal guard. You will be assigned to the Schwann Brigade." Hatchette nodded in agreement. "Court is adjourned." He bangs his gavel finishing the trial.

"Men, put those four under house arrest." Commandant Alexei ordered. "Tomorrow at noon you will be drummed out of the royal guard." All four of the disgraced royal guardsmen were led out of the courtroom under heavy guard. Only Hatchette remained.

"Flynn..." Chastel addressed me. "You know that those bastards..."

"I know, Chastel..." I replied. "They can all easily pay their fines and easily avoid doing their time. To them, this is just a slap on the wrist. And they'll probably get themselves reinstated within a year and repurchase their ranks. One of the many faults I need to reform one day..." I shook my head. Although we won our court case, it feel though it's all hollow. No doubt, Gradana and his cronies will be back in about a year, doing the same sexist stunts.

"Well, at least we got them kicked out for the time being at least." Julia patted me on the shoulder. "And maybe Alexei'll put someone with more integrity in command. Besides they ain't getting away completely unscathed."

"That's right, Julia." I replied. "Gradana's gonna have that scar on his wrist from where Yuri stabbed him, and no doubt, he'll remember the sting of your foot. And I doubt Louis won't easily forget the sting of my sword in his shoulder."

"Well, we gotta take what victories we can, Flynn." Julia said. "Besides, the twins are free, I'm finally back in my family's good graces, even though my father still frowns on my sexual orientation."

"True." I smiled. "Not to mention, Hatchette's back to normal, whatever that is. Heh heh heh..."

"Heeeyyy!" Hatchette protested. "I'm perfectly normal...I think. Well, guys, might as well hit the dining hall, I'm hungry." Hatchette suggested. So we headed to the dining hall to get something to eat, boy, what a day this has been.

* * *

_**(End Part 12)**_

_**Author's Notes:**_

_**The lawyers, Nick and Siegfried are loosely based on Phoenix Wright and Manfred von Karma respectively from the game series 'Ace Attorney'.**_

_**Not much else to say at the moment, but the next chapter will be the last one for this album, it'll be an epilogue chapter, wrapping up what happens to the characters.**_


	13. A Group Of Weeds Pulled

_**Part 13. A Group of Weeds Pulled, Epilogue**_

* * *

_**(The Castle Courtyard, The day after the trial)**_

_**(Flynn's point of view)**_

Earl Robert walked among the ranks of Royal Guardsmen, holding a list of names. He stops before one of the guardsman, he nods, then earl Robert asks the next one. "You, Laurence Bergeron Is it true? have you slept with my daughter...? He asked the guardsmen.

"Earl, I...I..." Laurence stuttered.

"Answer the question." Robert demanded.

"Yes, earl." Laurence answered, hanging his head in shame.

Earl Robert moves to the nest guardsman. "And you, Archibald Severn, have you slept with my daughter...?"

"But, earl." Archibald replied.

"Just answer the question." Earl Robert ordered.

"Yes, earl." Archibald answered, also hanging his head in shame.

Earl Robert moves to the next guardsman on the list. "And you, Harold Rigoletto, have you?" Harold nods. "And you..." Earl Robert, looks at the guardsman next to him. "...Gerald Ferguson, Have you also slept with my daughter...?"

"Only once, earl." Gerald answered.

"Ah, only once, that's all..." Earl Robert smiled. He walks to the next guardsman.

"Not slept, earl." That guardsman said.

But earl Robert didn't seem convinced. "Not slept? You did her standing up perhaps, probably in the streets, on a bench, perhaps. Not slept." He walks down the line, each of the renaming guardsmen all nodded shamefully. There were nineteen in that row.

"You slept with all of them, Julia...?" I asked hen in a voice loud enough for hear to hear. "I just don't believe it..."

"Me neither, Flynn..." Julia replied, looking exasperated. "And don't forget Hatchette, and those assholes on trial yesterday, archduke Kyle and his... smelly, revolting employees, as well as that awful, misogynistic duke Kitano and his equally awful, misogynistic, sex-crazed lackeys. Oh. Good. Grief." She face-palms.

The silence was deafening as earl Robert approached Gradana and his top officers. "Julia, something tells me we'll need to cover our ears." I suggested, pressing my hands on my ears."

"What, Flynn...? Sorry I can't hear you, My father going to throw one of his famous...and really loud fits. So I'm covering my ears." Julia replied, also covering her ears.

Earl Robert was only inches away from Gradana's face. "**IS THERE ANYONE IN THE ROYAL GUARD THAT HAS NOT SLEPT WITH MY DAUGHTER!?**" He yelled in Granada's face, almost knocking him over. Even with my ears covered, I could feel them ringing...

"But, earl, I only had your daughter's best interest at heart.." Gradana replied.

"In her best interest...?" Earl Robert calmly said before... "**IN HER BEST INTEREST!?**" resuming his chewing out. "**DOES YOUR IDEA OF '****BEST INTEREST' ****INVOLVE THE USE OF DRUGS MADE FROM MONSTER-SPIT!? ****WAS IT IN HER BEST INTEREST TO HAVE HER RAPED****!? OR APPEARING IN A YURZOREAN PORN MAGAZINE!? I'M SURPRISED YOU DIDN'T HIRE A YURZOREAN GYM TEACHER THAT MOONLIGHTS AS A VIGILANTE RAPIST FOR HIRE!**"

"Father! Don't give him ideas!" Julia shouted.

"Sorry, Julia." Earl Robert apologized before resuming his chewing out of Gradana. "And while what you did to my daughter was bad, what you and your men did to the other female knights(looking at the Aiheaps and the mute maids),was to say the least...** EQUALLY REPREHENSIBLE...! INSTEAD OF TREATING THEM AS YOUR EQUALS AND COMRADES IN ARMS, YOU USED THEM AS YOUR OWN PERSONAL PLAYTHINGS! EVEN GOING SO FAR AS PROSTITUTING THEM OUT FOR MONEY, AND EVEN TAKING AWAY THEIR VOICES!**"

He looks at several nobles... and a working class farmer.

"But the worst part of this, Gradana is that...**YOU LIED TO US! YOU LIED TO US THAT OUR DAUGHTERS HAVE BECOME PROMISCUOUS SLUTS! TRICKING US INTO DIS-OWNING OUR OWN CHILDREN! THIS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED! NOT BY ME! NOT BY MY FELLOW NOBLES AND FORMER COMRADES OF THE ROYAL GUARD! AND NOT BY**..." He looks at the farmer. "What's your name, good sir..."

"Elvis Aiheap, sir." The farmer answered in a drawling voice. "Father of these two fine young fillys here..." He points at the twins. "Niren was a good friend of mine, treated them two like they was his daughters..." He gives Granada and his top officers the evil eye. "Unlike you Gradana, ya low-down yellow-bellied snake-in-the-grass scuuummmbaaag. You done disgraced his memory... and the reputation of the Royal Guard with yer bull-crap. If it were up to me, I'd have the lot of ya turned into geldings, and fed through a baler."

"My kind of punishment_. _Heh heh heh." Julia smiled. "I like this guy."

"...**AND CERTAINLY BY EVIS AIHEAP, GOOD SIR! INSTEAD OF BEING DRUMMED OUT, YOU BOWL-CUT RETARD, YOU OUGHTA BE NEUTERED AND BALED!**" Earl Robert finished by slapping Gradana on both cheeks."**YOU ABSOLUTELY DISGUST ME!**"

"Well then. mr. DuBois, If you're quite done tongue-lashing the Royal Guard, and making everyone in Mayoccia deaf as a post." Commandant Alexei interjected. "It is now high noon and I'd like to carry out their punishment, if you permit me."

"As you wish, commandant." Earl Robert bowed and stepped aside.

Commandant Alexei steps in front of Gradana. "You four, and the rest of the Royal Guard have brought great shame to your company with your decadent frat-boy behavior." Commandant Alexei continued to berate. "Made even worse by the fact that that you abused lady Julia Elizabeth DuBois, a known Hunger Games victor, a highly prized living treasure, like, myself, Drake Dropwart and a few other still living victors that I cannot name at this time. She could have been used to bring honor and prestige to the Royal Guard, but instead you only brought shame and embarrassment to the Royal Guard by using her, along with those other ladies, as a cheap sex-toy."

"At twenty gald a 'session' no less." Julia interjected, causing us to look at her. "...It's true, unfortunately."

Commandant Alexei shakes his head and returns to his verbal dressing down. "If it were up to me, I'd have the whole Royal Guard dishonorably discharged and disbanded, hoping it would erase the shame. However, The Guard is still needed to protect the lives of the royal candidates, namely lady Estellise Sidos Heurassein and her cousin, master Ioder Argylos Heurassein." He looks at both lady Estellise and Master Ioder who were here to bear witness to this event.

"How could you abuse your privileges and do those things to those ladies and still call yourself a knight of the Empire, Gradana?" Lady Estellise accused, pointing her finger at him.

"I agree, any person who commits such misdeeds is clearly unfit to be the royal family's bodyguards." Master Ioder added.

Commandant Alexei looks back at Gradana. "And since you four are, by far, the worst offenders, I will make an example of you to serve as a warning to the rest of the Royal Guard."

Commandant Alexei stood before the Royal guard's top officers, he opens up a scroll and begins to read from it. "Major Gradana Stafford, Captain Louis DeAnguis, Captain Derick VonBurns, and Captain Reginald Loewe. You are hereby found guilty of the following: Conduct unbecoming of both officers and gentlemen of the Royal guard which includes, the use of illegal drugs, namely Tentacle Syrup, on your fellow officers, namely lieutenants Chastel Aiheap, Hisca Aiheap, Hatchette Gachot, Julia DuBois, Gabrielle Delacroix, Francine Nichols, Charlene Mackenzie, and Jeanne Coriander."

Those last four are the mute maids by the way.

"Rape both first degree and statutory upon lieutenants Chastel Aiheap, Hisca Aiheap, Julia DuBois, Gabrielle Delacroix, Francine Nichols, Charlene Mackenzie, and Jeanne Coriander using said drug, and the illegal mutilation, namely the de-voicing of lieutenants Gabrielle Delacroix, Francine Nichols, Charlene Mackenzie, and Jeanne Coriander. As well as unnecessary endangerment of civilians, namely one Ted Mallory, age seven, and unlawful restraint, torture of and conspiracy to murder sergeant Flynn Scifo, and former imperial knight, Yuri Lowell. For your crimes, you four are hereby stripped of all rank and privileges of both the Imperial Knights in general, and the Royal Guard in particular."

He looks at the drummer.

"Start your drum roll." The drummer starts beating on his drum.

"Your capes!" Commandant Alexei ordered, Gradana, Louis Derick and Reginald detached their capes and dropped them on the ground at their feet.

"Your swords!" Commandant Alexei ordered, Gradana, Louis Derick and Reginald unsheathe their swords. Commandant Alexei takes each of their swords and ..._*KER-SNAP*_... shatters them on his knee, letting the pieces fall to the cobblestones like so much scrap.

"Your armor!" Commandant Alexei ordered, Gradana, Louis Derick and Reginald took off their armor, leaving them in their black jumpsuits and dropped them on the ground at their feet..._*sound of armor clanging on the cobblestones*…_

"Your ranks!" Commandant Alexei ordered, Gradana, Louis Derick and Reginald detached their officer pipits from their jumpsuit collars, commandant Alexei takes them, spits on them and flings them to the cobblestones.

"And, finally, your Royal Guard discount cards!" Commandant Alexei ordered, Gradana, Louis Derick and Reginald...rather reluctantly...hand over the discount cards to commandant Alexei, who proceeds to rip them to shreds.

He nods to earl Robert. "Finish this chore for me, if you be so kind."

"With pleasure, commandant." Earl Robert steps in. "**NOW WALK THE PATH OF SHAME AND BEGONE FROM THIS PLACE, AND BEGONE FROM OUR SIGHT!**" He roared and steps aside, and Gradana and his cronies are marched into an armored wagon. "**FOR YOU ARE ROYAL GUARD NO MORE!**" The wagon leaves the courtyard, taking Gradana and his friends to prison... until they pay their bail and get out in a week, unfortunately...sigh...

"Royal Guard discount cards, Alexei? Is that with or without the googly eyes...?" Earl Robert asked. Commandant Alexei just shrugs...

* * *

_**(Epilogue)**_

_**(Over the next few months)**_

_**(Gradana's voice):Gradana, Louis Derick, and Reginald spent only one week in prison, getting out early once their bail was, rather hastily, cleared. They have since left Zaphias and have returned to their home estates.**_

_**(Chastel's voice):Hisca and Chastel Aiheap have been offered an invitation to join the Jurgis Brigade, they have accepted and are currently performing their standard, and, unlike the Royal Guard, their correct knightly duties, which include monster-mashing and support artes.**_

_**(Jurgis's voice):Jurgis Vytautas finishes forming, and continues to command the Jurgis Brigade, patrolling the roads in both Mayoccia and later Peyoccia.**_

_**(Flynn's voice):Flynn Scifo continues to serve in the Jurgis Brigade, later earning a promotion to lieutenant, and getting a squad of his own to command.**_

_**(Yuri's voice):Yuri Lowell and Repede continue to live at, and work for the Comet tavern and inn... And getting in trouble with sergeant(later lieutenant) Leblanc Javert for his occasional vigilante actions.**_

_**(Kyle's voice):Archduke Kyle Nicolas eventually recovers from his injury inflicted by Yuri. But his pride is still wounded. Not to mention his harem haven't let him hear the end of it over his visits to Zaphias's Red Light District.**_

_**(Eric's Voice):Eric Onkos and Stan Falakros continue to work in the stockyards, spending their weekends up in the Red Light District(and stinking up the place).**_

_**(Saleam's voice):Saleam and Jilan Rodgo continue to run their apothecary in the Fountain Plaza. Jilan soon gave birth to a perfectly healthy eight pound boy, mother and child are doing fine.**_

_**(Kitano's Voice):Kōshaku Kitano Masiji left Zaphias and returned to Yurzorea, he was forced to give up ownership of his four underage concubines of the grounds that they were all underage or face prison. Kitano claims that he did not know that those four young girls were underage(yeah, right!). He continues to run his blastia management company, and continues to indulge in his unsavory hobby of running a porn magazine where young ladies(many no doubt underage) continue to be subject to various forms of humiliation...and torture.**_

_**(Author's voice):But what of Julia, Hatchette, Natalie & Hannah and the other former slaves...**_

_**Perhaps we should let Julia explain it...**_

* * *

_**The shopping Plaza)**_

_**(Julia's point of view)**_

What a crazy few months it has been. Ioder offered me, Gradana's former maids, and the four Yurzoreans a job as live in maids at the castle, and various royal estates, with pay minus live in costs.

The maids, now that their lovely voices were restored, were kind enough to show me and the Yurzoreans, all the basic maid duties, well they were my former classmates at the Imperial Knight Academy. And quite frankly, most of our duties is not much different than keeping our barracks nice and clean, and mostly we have been assigned specific tasks. Not to mention Father lent Devons to the castle to tutor us in standard maid duties.

When Clara learned of my new occupation, she offered to redesign our maid outfits to...well...make them more girly...More on that later. Poor Margaret, Clara was practically all over her, and the rest of us too...not that I minded it, I enjoyed her company, the others...not quite as much.

By the way, the new maid outfits Clara designed...? It's a black blouse with a white turned-down collar with red trim, and full sleeves with shoulder puffs and white cuffs with three buttons each. The skirt is also black as well as mid-calf length and circular with a white petticoat to give it a bell shape. Worn over them is a white full apron that's slightly shorter than the skirt with ruffled shoulder straps, and a waist sash that end in a nice cute bow in the back with the ends no lower than my butt. And finally, my headgear is a simple ruffled white maid's headband and my leg-wear is brown low-heel knee-boots and black silk stockings.

Clara told me that she got the idea for that design from those Japanese comic books I picked up on my victory tour. One of them had some rather gorgeous ladies and boys design in it so I thought she might be interested.

All in all it's a rather girly and cute outfit, and yet quite conservative and practical.

Just a couple of weeks ago, all of my friends were sent to Nordopolica to attend the annual, and dreaded reaping. I didn't go because I already participated in that damn game and because I...won... well more like I survived, I didn't have to participate in the reaping unless I volunteered to go again, but I'm not stupid, I mean that would be simply foolish and suicidal. Unfortunately, starting next year, I'll be the new mentor for the tributes, A task that'll no doubt be as bad as being a prostitute..._*sigh*_...

Well anyway I'm here helping with the groceries for today's meals at the castle when all of a sudden...

"Squishy squishy..." I heard someone's voice behind me and I felt two hands suddenly grab and grope my breasts...

… "HWAAAAAH!" I yelped, almost jumping out of my clothes! I quickly got away from those grabby, grabby hands, instinctively covering my chest and blushing like crazy. "You pervert! How dare you..." I yelped, turning to see who grabbed me. I was surprised to see who it was! "C...Clara...!?" Turns out the pervert who groped me was Clara, who was smiling and holding her hands up wriggling her fingers. I felt my cheeks redden. "Clara, you pervert! You almost made me jump outta my uniform!"

"Sorry about that, Julia, I couldn't help it." Clara smiled. "That maid outfit you were wearing is just sooo cuuuttteee!"

"Well, you did design them." I reminded, still covering my chest. Accompanying Clara was Flynn, Yuri, Ned, Hatchette, along with Natalie, Hannah, who were wearing the school uniforms of Zaude Academy. "Oh, yeah, welcome back, everyone. How's Nordopolica...?"

"Pretty hectic and the coliseum was quite crowded, Both the prince and princess were there." Clara replied.

"I see. How were they dressing lady Estellise this time...?" I asked.

"Oh do not get me started, puh-leeeaaassse..." Clara looked rather disgusted. "I swear those make-up people that work for the gods have no fashion sense whatsoever. That outfit that they made that poor girl wear was absolutely ridiculous in its outlandishness. She had trouble moving around in it, couldn't even sit down."

"Yeah, not to mention she had more make-up on her face than a troop of kabuki-dancers, lady Julia." Natalie added.

"It's just intolerable that they had to cover lady Estellise's cute, perfect face with all that make-up." Hannah commented, shaking her head. "Also, lady Julia, I agree with Clara, lady Estellise was pretty badly over dressed, It took both me and Nat well over an hour to get her out of that cumbersome dress."

"And another hour to get all that make-up off her, sheesh!" Natalie facepalmed. You probably noticed that they aren't calling me 'Ojou-sama' anymore. They started using my name shortly after Gradana's trial, with the appropriate local honorific of course. Although I'm now a maid working at the castle, I'm still a noble.

"Well, It's so nice that you all managed to avoid being taken and thus live to see another year..." I smiled at my friends before I decided to ask a more...somber question. "...But who did they take...?"

"Some fourteen year old boy from Torim Harbor." Yuri grimly said.

"And a thirteen year old girl from Dahngrest." Flynn added, looking rather solemn. "Something tells me neither one of them's coming back. Damn this barbaric game."

"Well look on the bright side, Flynn..." Yuri patted Flynn on the shoulder. "Seeing as me, you, Clara and Hatchette are now eighteen, this was our last time we'll have to go to Nordopolica. No more reapings for us."

"That's right, guys..." Hatchette said, now wearing Schwann brigade colors. "Tonight, we're gonna party, NO MORE REAPINGS FOR US...WOOHOOO...!" And every bit the party animal I remembered.

"Speak for yourselves, guys." Ned interjected. "Three more for me..." He sighed in exasparation.

"Same here." Natalie added. "Along with Hannah, Rina, and Shawna(formerly Shiho). AW, man."

"Not to mention, starting next year, I'll be mentoring the tributes for those revolting games." I added. "Like Natalie said...'AW man'."

"Well anyway, we're throwing a 'no more reapings' party down at the Comet later tonight." Yuri said. "Wanna join us, Julia?" He offers me an invitation card.

"Certainly, after I finish work." I replied, accepting the card. Yuri and the others headed off to gather party supplies, leaving me with Natalie and Hannah...

… As we started to return to the castle, we encountered a nobleman and his daughter wearing the same school outfit as Natalie and Hannah... wait a second... I think I recognize that noble... That's marquees Charles Fortescue III, and I think that's his daughter, Sodia. "I remember you… Julia, isn't it…?" The Marquess greeted. "Weren't you with Major Stafford when he was at our place proposing to my daughter?"

"Yes I was." I replied, bowing."I'm honored to once again meet you, marquess... and your lovely and rather brilliant daughter."

"And we're honored to meet you, victor Julia." Sodia curtsied. "Sodia Ametista Fortescue, pleased to meet you."

"Please, just Julia will do." I said. "I just don't like being reminded of that horrible event. Truth be told the whole thing was simply a complete, horrific, total nightmare that I absolutely have no intention of going through again. The only thing that made it all worth it was that I saved my...best friend's life, and came home alive, that's it."

"Oh, my apologizes." Sodia apologized. "I heard about what happened to Gradana, and what he did to you. I knew that guy was no good." Calling Gradana no good would simply be an understatement, take my word for it.

"And you did the right thing turning that bowl-cut... jerk down. He messed up a lot of good lives, including mine." I commented.

"And I fear that Gradana, after my daughter shot him down verbally, may have ruined my daughter's chance of ever being married. He went blabbing about what she did to him..." Marquess Charles moaned. "No one wants to marry a girl that's smarter than the average male, What am I going to do with you, Sodia...?"

"Well, father, I'm thinking about a few things, I'll let you know once I turn sixteen." Sodia answered. "Good day, miss Julia." She curtsied and the two of them went on their way, bickering as they went.(Several months later, Sodia decided to join the Imperial Knights.)

* * *

_**(The Comet, Early evening)**_

_**(Yuri's point of view)**_

Well, got all the decorations set up, invites sent out, and the food laid out for our guests. The doorman, surprisingly enough, was Gradana's former butler, Nichols, he still lives up at the old estate, but now gets a pay-check. He told me that the place was seized and is now property of some prince, I think his name's Ioder. "So, Nichols, how are things now that you're not working for that bowl-cut twit?" I asked.

"Much better, now that I'm getting paid to take care of the estate until Master Flynn becomes old enough to inherit it." Nichols replied. "I do look forward to once again serving the Scifo family, and to think I almost went to work at a slaughterhouse after what that bespectacled lady did to the servants restroom."

"Speaking of her, I'm inviting Julia over along with her girlfriend." I thought I'd tell him.

"Oh, dear." Nichols moaned, rolling his eyes up.

"Don't worry, Nichols. I doubt there's gonna be any problems this time." I reassured, arranging some of the entrees.

"Unless you accidentally invited a Yurzorean rape-gang. It took us two days to clean that mess, and I think one of the cleaners master Ioder hired needed consoling." Then the door opens. "Ah, speak of the demoness..." He said as Julia enters, now wearing a light brown blazer jacket with that silver pin with that crazy looking monster's face on her lapel, and a mid-calf length full skirt, accompanied by Clara wearing a white blouse and a light-blue full skirt(mid-calf of course, she was wearing it down in Nordopolica) "...And she appears, Welcome Lady Julia DuBois, Lady Clara Dior."

"Good evening, Yuri, Nichols..." Julia greeted back. "...Wait a sec...Demoness, Nichols...?" Julia gives Nichols a hard, icy stare.

"Nothing, Julia." I said. "Have a seat, you two, and help yourselves to the appetizers." The two of then sat down and tried out some of the hors d' oeuvres.

"Wow, these are good, Yuri." Julia smiled.

"I agree, Julia." Clara added. "Did you cook these...?"

"Well the sandwiches, I made." I answered. "The other stuff, Anna whipped up."

"Our compliments to the chef." the two of then said, thanking me and Anna.

"Thanks, you two." Anna smiled.

The door opened again, letting in Flynn and Hatchette.

"Good Evening, master Flynn." Nichols greeted.

"Evening, Nichols..." Flynn replied. "But please don't call me that, I'm not a noble, nor your master remember...?."

"I suppose not, sir..." Nichols replied. "But in three years time, you will be again when you regain your family's noble status, as well as the estate currently held for you by master Ioder. Thought I'd practice for that day, you understand."

"Uh huh..." Flynn nodded.

"Nice to see you back at the Comet, Flynn." Roy greeted. "Hey, Yuri, who's the other guy...?" He points at Hatchette.

"Sergeant Hatchette Gachot, Schwann Brigade." Hatchette introduced himself. "Formerly a lieutenant in the Royal Guard before that scandal got exposed a few months ago."

"Oh, yeah..." Roy scratched his chin. "Isn't that the one where the C.O. And three of his subordinates got the boot for using the female knights there as sex-slaves, and another officer got demoted and transferred to another brigade...?"

"Yeah, that's the one." Hatchette replied. "Actually I'm the officer that got demoted and transferred by the way."

As Flynn and Hatchette sat down, I noticed that Flynn had something on his mind. "Something on your mind, Flynn...?" Julia asked, noticing it too.

"Sort of, guys..." Flynn replied. "I was just thinking about Gradana's trial as we were heading back to Zaphias. Something doesn't seem right..."

"What makes you think that...?" I asked.

"It's just that...well... we were expecting Gradana to have bribed the judge to give him a more favorable sentence, like a light fine or a demotion by one rank, but the judge acted with integrity and gave Gradana the appropriate sentencing, even if that's kind of light. Trust me, I looked it up."

"Maybe Gradana couldn't pay him in time." I said.

"Doubtful, Yuri..." Flynn replied, looking up at the ceiling. "Gradana had plenty of opportunities to bribe the judge, but never took them... He even admitted to his misdeeds in court, it's almost as if he wanted to found guilty and be tossed out of the royal guard... why is that...?"

"Aw, c'mon Flynn, Don't worry about that..." Hatchette slapped Flynn on the back. "This ain't no time to be thinking about the past. This is a time to celebrate our freedom from the reapings."

"Hatchette's right, Flynn..." I added. "Don't be such a worry-wort, loosen up a little, we're supposed to have a party."

"Well I suppose you're right, Yuri." Flynn said. "Might as well put Gradana aside for another day, and seeing as that were all here, me, you, Hatchette, Julia and Clara, and a few other eighteen year old boys and girls, let's get this party started."

Roy, Anna and Ned, Passed out the first round of beers to all of us. "I propose a toast..." I announced, holding up my mug. "To those who never got taken..." Every one but Julia and raised theirs... "To those few that came back..." Julia raised hers. And in a somber tone... "And for those that never returned, we drink this pint in their memory... For the lost..." I drank down my pint.

"For the lost..." Everyone else said and they drank down their pints. And we celebrated well into the night and the next morning we went on with our lives...

* * *

_**(Meanwhile in Heliord, Chevalier's HQ)**_

_**(Standard point of view)**_

Commandant Alexei was going over a series of blueprints for a project he was working on for the last seven years when he heard his assistant Khroma knock on the door. "Enter." he curtly said and Khroma came in.

"Your excellency, earl Gradana Brandon Stafford is here to see you." Khroma curtly announced.

"Ah, right on time, Khroma, do be a dear and show him in." Alexei ordered. Khroma bowed, exited and led the former royal guardsman(and now earl following the rather...mysterious death of the previous earl) in. "Ah, welcome, Gradana, I do trust things were going quite well...?"

"Indeed, they are, your excellency." Gradana answered. "I never thought that getting kicked out of the knights would eventually be a step up and into something...bigger."

"So tell me, Gradana..." Alexei started. "How were those twins...?"

"Pardon, sir...?"

"Were non-nobles as good as regular nobles...?" Alexei asked. "I knew for a long time what you and your friends were doing well before you...recruited the twins..." This revelation made Granada a bit nervous. "But I chose not to bother you over it, overlooked the lies you told me, and those girls parents, seeing that your unit's performance wasn't compromised, seeing as there were enough male bishops to take up the proverbial slack."

"I...see..." Gradana quietly answered.

"As a matter of fact, I was originally planning to ask you and your friends to simply resign your commissions since all of you have served the mandatory two year tour in the guard. But then you sent that Julia girl into the Red Light District, where she was found by that Yuri person and cured." Actually Alexei had intended to use their sexcapades to blackmail Gradana and his friends into quietly resigning their commissions, though it meant the possibility of having a group of slightly less-than-controllable minions on his hands, well can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs as the saying goes. Fortunately the exposure caused by Julia eliminated that need to blackmail...

"And if I recall correctly, she went blabbing to that Schwann Brigade sergeant." Gradana added. "Who no doubt reported this it captain Schwann..."

"...Who reported it to me, so I sent my spy Raven to dig up the dirt on you, Once he delivered the truth, I had no choice but to order captain Schwann to arrest you. Didn't want to look bad before the royal family." Alexei finished, not telling Gradana Schwann's...secret, no need for Gradana to know that...yet, nor the truth that captain Schwann really acted on his own initiative, enlisting captain Jurgis's aid in the process. Let that bowl-cut fool think Schwann was following his orders. "Well seeing that a dishonorable discharge uses less paper work and time...and gives me the same results I wanted, I chose to go with with a court-martial..."

"Which I recall you told me to lose prior to the trial. Oh good grief I feel so used..." Granada face palms. "And shortly after you drummed us out, you visited us in prison with an offer we couldn't refuse; dispose of our fathers and take their titles since we were next in line and what not, swear full loyalty to you, and you'll speed up our bail."

"Quite correct, Gradana..." Alexei smiled. "And I even provided you all the service of Leviathan's Claw to help make their...passings look like an...accident, heh heh heh." Alexei leans back in his chair. "As you are aware, your families are major contractors and I needed their assets for my project. But the heads of those families loyalties were...questionable... so that's why you, Louis Derick and Reginald replaced them." He shuffles his papers. "You know, Gradana, It was a good idea of yours to have the refugees transferred to Heliord."

"It was, your excellency...?" Gradana raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, Gradana, it meant that I don't have to put up with all the troublesome logistics of having to transport all my materials to Nor Harbor, your little suggestion simply moved my labor force closer to the resources. I'm planning on having them set up building facilities under your command, with assistance from captain Cumore to help keep them in line."

"I see, your excellency, I'll be more than happy to make those Shizontonia peons nice and miserable, guhihihi." Gradana evilly smiled.

"Just make sure to get my project finished, Gradana." Alexei replied. "I assure you the rewards you and your friends will receive... will more than make up for the humiliation you all suffered."

"Rest assured, your excellency, It'll be done." Gradana smiled. "By the way, what is it that you want built anyway...?"

"This..." Alexei showed Gradana the Blueprint in question...Gradana is shocked at the scope and design of what Alexei had in mind... He looks down at the name of this massive project...

_**...HERACLES...**_

"Wow...!" Gradana was...awestruck to say the least. "You want that built...? What are you trying to do...? Take over the Empire...?"

"Something like that, Gradana..." Alexei smiled. "This is what I called you in for, everything is set up and ready to start. So are you in...?"

"Guhihihihihi... Oh HELL yes, your excellency. Why wait...?Let's get started...Guhihihi..."

"Well...Nice to see that you're in a good mood, Gradana, that'll be all, you can go..."

As Gradana got up and walked towards the door he paused..."You know, your excellency, those twins were okay, for non-nobles... You might have enjoyed them as well as that four-eyed bitch, I know I did." And he leaves.

"Yes I suppose..." Alexei talks to himself. "The twins and the victor would have felt good on my own penis..." He pulls out a picture and looks at it... "But I'm sure they'd pale in comparison to how she will feel..." He places the picture on his desk, revealing it to be a picture... of Estellise...! "Once she comes of age..." Alexei laughs evilly... his laughter echoing through the halls of the Chevalier's HQ... Making all who hear it... Tremble...

* * *

_**(The End... For Now)**_

_**Author's Notes:**_

_**And so we come to the end of Scattered Flowers, A fan-fic made to resolve Valssu's Souka Santan doujinshi. I hope you enjoyed reading it as I did making it.**_

_**The first scene was inspired by the scene in 'I Claudius' episode 2; 'Waiting In The Wings' 32:00 where Augustus Caesar (played by BRIAN BLESSED) was questioning the senate about his daughter's promiscuity.**_

_**There's also an amusing little reference to 'Pirates, Band of Misfits' during, and after, Gradana's drumming out.**_

_**Julia's maid outfit is **__**sort of a combination of**__** the outfit**__**s**__** worn by **__**Mey-Rin from 'Black Butler'(cuffs full skirt, boots, lower apron and bow) and**_ _**Maria**__** from**__** '**__**Hayate the combat butler**__**' **__**(Upper apron, headband collar, and sash)**__** (Probably that was the manga**__**s**__** she gave to Clara...;P). And the outfit she wears to the party will be her **__**Librarian/Mentor/Scholar**__** clothing.**_

_**I figure that the minimum age to be a mentor is nineteen. Which Julia will be next year.**_

_**Aaaaannnnndddd that's it.**_


End file.
